Full text of "A view of the United States of America : in a series of papers, written at various times, between the years 1787 and 1794; interspersed with authentic documents: the whole tending to exhibit the progress and present state of civil and religious liberty, population, agriculture, exports, imports, fisheries, navigation, shipbuilding, manufactures, and general improvement"

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3 1735 059 610 471

UNIVERSITY

OF PITTSBURGH

LIBRARY

THIS BOOK PRESENTED BY

Mrs. Howard N. Savenson

VIEW

O F T H E

UNITED STATES

O F

AMERICA,

IN A SERIES OF PAPERS,

WRITTEN AT VARIOUS TIMES, BETWEEN THE YEARS

1787 AND 1794,

By tench COXEy of Philadelphia;

INTERSPERSED WITH

AUTHENTIC DOCUMENTS:

THE WHOLE TENDING TO EXHIBIT THE PROGRESS AND PRS-
SENT STATE OF CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, POPU-
LATION, AGRICULTURE, EXPORTS, IMPORTS, FISHE-
RIES, NAVIGATION, SHIP-BUILDING, MANUFAC-
TURES, AND GENERAL IMPROVEMENT.

PHILADELPHIA:
PRINTED FOR WILLIAM HALL, N°* 51, Market Street, and

WRIGLEY Cjf BERRIMAN, N°* I49, Chcfnut StrCCt.
1794.

>!r>C>Ci'<^<>C>C>!-^>eCi'<>C><>C>C^^^^^^^^

District of Pennsylfania, fo'zutt:

BE IT REMEMBERED, That OH the twciity-
fourth day of Oftober, in the nineteenth
^ ^ year of the Independence of the United States of

g Seal. J America, William Hall, and Wrigley and
9^ 4t Berrtman, of the faid diftiift, have depofited in

^^^^^^^■^ this office, the Title of a Book, the right where-
of they claim, as proprietors, in the words following, to wit :

** A View of the United States of America, in a feries of pa-
'f pers, written at various times, between the years 1787, and
" 1794; by Tench Coxe, of Philadelphia; mterfperfed with
" authentic documents; the whole tendings to exhibit the progrefs,
" and prefent ftate of civil and religious liberty, population, agri-
** culture, exports, imports, fiilieries, navigation, fhip-building,
** manufactures, and general improvements :" in conformity to
the a6t of the Congrefs of the United States/ intituled, " An a6l
for the encouragement of Learning, by fecurmg the copies of
Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of fuch
copies, during the times therein mentioned."

SAMUEL CALDWELL, Cled of the

Diftrid of Pennfyhania,

t^<yc>c>si>c\><y<><'U<>~::-'<i'<>''\>Ci<-'';^^^^^

rv>.

A TABLE of the Contents.

M-. B O O K I.

A iNTRODUCrORT Remarks,

CHAPTER

Page.

CHAPTER II.

Fads and conji derations relative to the agriculture, manufaclures,
Jifieries, navigation, and the import, export and coajling trade,
intended to elucidate the commercial interejls of the United States, 3

CHAPTER III.

Sketches of the fuljeB of American manufaBures, in 1787, prepa-
ratory to exertions for their advancement andincreafe, 34

CHAPTER IV.

A fummary vieiv of the Jl ate of Pennfylvania, intended to exhilit to
the inhabitants of the populated dijlrids of the other flates, and to
foreigners, the real and great advantages to he obtained by trade,
manufactures, and purchafes of ejlates therein, and by migration 57
thither,

CHAPTER V.
Containing fome information relative to maple fugar, andits pojftble
'value in certain parts of the United States, 77

CHAPTER VI.

A concife general view of the United States, for the information of
migrators from foreign countries, 83

CHAPTER VIL

Concerning the diftilleries of the United States, 106

iv CONTENT S.

CHAPTER VIII.

Statements^ relative to the agriculture^ mamtfaBuresy commerce^ po-
puhnon^ refources and piibl'ic happinefs of the United States, in
reply to the ajfcriions and predi^'tons of lord Sheffield^ 1 1 1

CHAPTER IX.

Refled'wns on thejlate of the American union in the year 1792, 286

CHAPTER X.

Some ideas concerning the creation of manufacturing towns and vil-
lages In the United States, applied, ly <zuay of example, to a poji-
tlon on the river Sufquehanna, 3 80

CHAPTER XI.

AljlraEl of goods, wares and merchandize, exported from the Uni-
ted States, from the ijl of O&ober, 1 790, to 30M September,

CHAPTER XII.

Abflradi of goods, were: and mcrckandlz^e, exported from each of
the United States of America^ (with the aggregate of the whole)
from the \fl Otloher, lj()i, to yoth September, 1792, being one
year, 41 3

CHAPTER XIII.

A return nfthc imports into the United States, for one year, ending
on the 7)0th day of Septender, iy<^0, 42 1

CHAPTER XIV. .

An account of th tonnage of vejfels, on which the duty was paid ^
inth^ United Stales, from ihe \Jl of Odlober, 1789, to the ^Qth
September, 1 790, inchifivcly, 423

C H A P T E R XV.

General abjlraa of duties arifing on the tonnage of vejfels, entered in-
to the United States, from the \Jl of Odober, 1 790, to the ^oth
September, 179!, 425

CHAPTER XVI.

Ccntalnlng a fummaryjiatement of the principal fads, which cha-
ra3erl%e the American people, and thdr country or territory, in

CONTENTS.

B O O K II.

CHAPTER I.

Introductory remarhsy 449

CHAPTER II.

Reflexions upon the lefl mode of bringing the forejl lands of the Uni-
ted States into cultivation and ufcy 450

CHAPTER III.

Containing the tariff" of the United States, for the information of
merchants and manufa&urers, 458

CHAPTER IV,

ji flatement of the tonnage of 'vejfelsy nvhich have paid duty in the
ports of the United States of America, hettveen the ifl day of Oc-
tober, 1 79 1, and the ^Oth day of September, 1792, including
the coafling andffhiiig trades, 470

CHAPTER V.

An abflrad of goods, ivares and merchandize, exported from the
United States, from the \fl Odober, 1 792, /<? 30M Sept. 1 793, 471

CHAPTER VI.

Mifcellaneous facts and obfervations concerning the fate of PennfyU
vania, fupplementary to the fourth chapter of thefrfl booh, 477

CHAPTER VII.

Containing a 'vienjo of the fubjed of foreign dijldledfpirits, extraff-
ed from a publication in the year 1789, 492

CHAPTER VIII.
Concerning the public debts and revenues of the United State Sy 496

CHAPTER IX.

Mifcellaneons refledions upon certain important faSis and conftdera-
tions, vjhich occur, at this time, in the affairs of the United
States; intended as a conclufion to this colledion, 498

BOOK I.

PREFATORY NOTE

ADDRESSED TO THK

CITIZENS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

J1.FTER the following pages were ddivered from the prefs
Jome obfervations upon thofe parts of their contents, which
relate to our particular flate, occurred with very confidcrahU
force, Thefe were accompanied by interefiing refeElions upon
the exifiing circumftances of the country. It appeared ufeful to
introduce them in a prefatory note, that they might encourage
our ptrfeverance in the ancient line of policy and conduEl^
which have produced efftBs fo tranfcendently favourable to
our local interejls, without injuflice to our Jifler fates, or to
the foreign world.

It appears by the return on the j^jGthpage, that the fate of
Pennfylvania for the city of Philadelphia) exported in the
year, ending in September, 1 793, of foreign and do?nefic goods,
nearly feven eighths of thefum exported by New-York , Con-

8 PREFATORY NOTE.

ncBicut, Rhodc-IJIand, MaJfacJcufttts, and New-Hampjliirt ;
and that thofe exports of Philadelphia were 1,717,572 dol-
lars^ more than all the exports of New-England^ At the fame
time, it is well known, that Baltimore received a conjiderable
part of the produce of this flatey and thatfome of it is ifually
fent out by land to the Patowniac, and by water through the
river Ohio, The migrators from New-England, New-York^
New-Jerfey, Delaware and Maryland, from Europe and in
that year, from the Wefl- Indies, were confuming largely of
articles, which would otherwife have greatly increafed the va-
lue of our exportaticns.

Having reference to the number of tons and to the quality, it
will be found, that we built new vejfels in the fame year to an
amount double that of any other port in the United States.

The increafe of the exports of the United States in four,
fince the year 1786, has been about 8co,ooo barrels. This
article is received by New-England, the Carolinas and Georgia,
in a much greater degree from the middle flates^ than it is ex-
ported from the former fven. This very great increafe is
therefore confned to Pennfylvania, New-Jerfey, New-York,
Delaware, Maryland and Virginia; and it is not the principal
flaple of the two laf fates, which export more in value of tobacco
than of flour. The difference in the value of the flour Jhipped
from thofe fix fates, in 1786, and that in 1793, is about flx
millions of dollars, calculating as well upon the increafe of price
as of quantity. The whole increafe of the exports of the union,
fence March 1789, is about eight millions of dollar s^ of wbich
more than two millions were in foreign goods.

PREFATORY NOTE. 9

Pennfylvania^ and Maryland (which exports conjidcf ably for
PennfylvaniaJ Jhipped, of domejlic arid foreign goods ^ in 1792,

Dollars, 6,370,904

The fame two Jlates fhipped in 1793, 10,645,855

The difference in favour of the latter year was 4,274,951
dollars. This was about feventeen twentieth parts of the in-
creafe of the exports of the United ^tates in the fame time.

The whole exports of New-York, in 1793, were 2,934,370

The mere increafe of the exports of Pennfylvaniay
between 1792 and 1793, ^^^ 3»i3S,090

The exports of Pennfylvania, for the hd\^ year
enly^ ending on the opth March, 1794, were, ^^^-f. 3,533,597

T/z^ increafe of the exports of the United States, in 1793,
beyond thofe of lyg^, was about 5,000,000 dollars, of which
tlv. above increafe of Pennfylvania alone, in that time, was
thirty-one fiftieth parts : or more than three ffths.

The population of Pennfylvania appears to have increafed,
in 2'^ years, nearly in the proportion of <^g io C)i, though the
whole term of a revolutionary and invafive war offeven years
was included.'*' This confiderably exceeds Dr. Franklin's ef-
timate of doubling in twenty years. Now, that all New-Eng-
land is full, except Main and Fer?nont, the contiguousjlates of
New-Jerfey and Delaware are overflocked, and Maryland

* See page ^^i.

10 PREFATORY NOTE.

nearly Jo ; and above all, now that Europe is full and muck
dijlurbed, a curious rapidity of population is to be expeBedin
a fate with fo much unimproved land, difpofition and capacity
for manifaBures, wealth, foreign intzrcourfe, energy and en-
terprife as Pennfylvania. The furplus population of New-
England, New-Jerfey, Delaware, and Maryland, at fve per
cent, IS above 60,000 perfons per annum ; and the furplus of
the old fettlements of this fate is above twenty-two ihoufand
per annum. ^

The plenty of pit-coal in Pennfylvania will very foon give it
an immenfe advantage over all the interior country north and
eaft of it, in which, though colder than Pennfylvania, it is not
known i that there is one coal mine open, or that there is any
tonfiderahle appearance of that invaluable fofjil. Wood and
timber are very much decreafd in the principal part of New-
England and in New-Jerfty, but is abundant in Maine and
Vermont, and in many parts of NewYork,

It cannot he too much enforced and reiterated, that the inte-
rior and wefern counties of Pennfylvania, and the wefern
country in general, ought to procure, at any expence, the moft
valuable breeding animals, which can be obtained — Horfes,
mares,, horned cattle and fieep : becaufe their diflance from
the fea-ports diBates the mof intelligent and particular at-
tention to the grazing hufbandry. Horned cattle have been
driven to Philadelphia, from Maffachufetts and North-Caro-
lina, and mules from ConneBicut to Baltimore. The journey
from the Ohio to Philadelphia, is not more difficult.

The praBice of the eajlernflates, in regard to fchcols de-
Jerves the moft ferious attention of the wife and good. It

PREFATORY NOTE. ii

appears to have refulted in New- England from their fettling
in townjhips of four, fve and fix miles fquare. Perhaps it
would be mof eafily accompliflied in Pennfylvania by dividing
the fate into fuch townfiips. The utmof difance from a
fchool, in the centre of a divifion of four miles fquare^ would
be very little more than a inile.

It is obvioifly of the greatefl importance to this country and
to Pennfylvania, that its citizens flwuld continue to be frmly
attached to the union of the American fates. An oppofite dif
pofition would be an error the mof fatal and the mof extreme*

There was never applied, to the improvement and advance-
ment of Pennfylvania, fo great an s-gg'regate of money as is
employed direElly or indiredly at the prefent time. The im-
provements at the falls of Delaware, at Alexandria on the
fame river, oppofite to Bucks, at Wilfonville on the Walen-
paupack, at Ajfylum ontheSufquehannah, at Connewaga by that
company, at the Brandywine, Schuylkill and Tulpehocken ca-
nals, at the Lancafer turnpike road, at the Black Friar falls
of Sufquehanna, in the private buildings at Pitt/burg, the
mills, workfhops and dwelling houfes in every town and every
quarter of the Jl ate, together with the expenditures upon roads,
bridges and rivers, amount to a prodigious fum, have atiraS-
ed artifs, mechanics and labourers from other fates, and
even from Europe, and have catched the f ream of emigration
ere it pajfed from eaft to wefi, and from north tofouth. It
may be truly f aid, that the profts, not only of agriculture,
but of trade, manufadures, funds and banks are turned, to a
great amount, to the promotion of the landed interef, by PenU"
fylvanians, by many other Americans and foreigners of fve*
ral nations, ^

i« PREFATORY NOTE.

The manufaBured imports of the Jlatc of Pennfylvania,
are fomewhat lefs than thofe of New-York ; though the ex-
ports of this fiate are fo much greater. This is a clear proof
of the magnitude of the manufaSures of Pennfylvania. Gun-
powder^ linfeed oil, glue, paper, books, engravings, carriages,
braziery, copper ware, tin and pewter wares, iron caflingSy
faddlery, hats, carriages for pleafure and work, paper hang-
ings, paflehoards, boots, flioes, tanned and tawed leather,
parchments, earthsn and^Jlone ware, cedar ware, cornfans,
Windfor and rvfi bottom chaiis, hoi f hold manufaBures of
woolen, cotton and linen, fet work, gold work, fiver plate,
rolled and /lit iron and feel, and manufaBures thereof and
cf lead, leather breeches, zohips, gloves, horfemens' caps, car-
touch boxes, canteens, [word blades, bayonets, mufquets, rifes,
drums, boats, flips and veffds, beer, difilledf pints, and ma*
ny other articles to a great amount indeed, are manufaBured
in the city of Philadtdphia, in the boroughs, and in the coun-
ties of Pennfylvania ; are tranfported, in many infances, by
land and water, to feveral other fates ; and, in many in-
fances, are exported to foreign countries. This is the real
caiife of a difference, which has attraBed fome obfervation ;
and this iinportant circumfance is conceived to be one of the
firon?ef points in favour of the refeurces, powers and effici-
ency of Pennfylvania. From this [olid truth it is obvious^
that upon an accurate and comprehenfve Jlatement of her
commerce, foreign and domefic, by fea and land, a great ba-
lance would appear in favour of this fate.

The people cf Pennfylvania owe very little money indeed, to
their American brethren, but on the contrary, have always
muck due to them on all fides. They partake more largely
in the ready money branches of foreign commerce, becaufe of

PREFATORY NOTE. 13

thdr own valuable Jlaples and of the extent of their capital
and their habits of exporting to foreign countries, from the
fouthern ports, the produElions of thof fates. In the credit
trades, they take a very large fhare and arc fecond to none
in punBuality of payment.

The citizens of Philadelphia confumt in their arts, trades
and families, and export to foreign countries fo much of the
produce of the ffieries, that they appear to have aflrong in-
terefi to participate in them. While the Britifh and French
partake in the American ffheries, and in the whale ffiery of
every fa, it will continue to he a matter of certainty, that
the enterprizing flip owners and mariners of Philadelphia
may at any time make the experiment.

The faSls and ideas in this note, relative to the flate of
Pennfylvania, together with thofe in the ^th chapter of the
frf hook and in the 6th chapter of the fecond book will tend
to prove to us, who are of that pr of per ous flate, its very deep
inter efl in maintaining jufl government and public order.

VIEW

OF THE

UNITED STATES,

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

TH E progrefTive courfe of things, in young
countries, renders the talk ofthofe, who under-
take to treat of their affairs, particularly difficult.
The inceffant changes, produced by public opera-
tions and private induftry, occafion the reprefenta-
tions of one year to be imperfeB: and diffimilar pic-
tures, in thofe which follow foon after. In no coun-
try have thefe obfervations been more ftrikingly ex-
emplified, than in the United States of America.
The a6tual fituation of many parts of their affairs is
nearly the reverfc of what it was at times within the
memory of children. This circumftance has fug-
gefted the idea, that colle6lions of papers, which
have been publifhed at the different ftages of Ame^
rican affairs during the exifting peace, (like thofe^
which occupy this volume) introduced in each in-
flance by concife explanatory remarks, and clofed
by fuch brief obfervations on its par^ticular fubjeft,

as arife in the prefent time, would be of confidera-
ble utility to thofe, who may-defire to know, and
thoroughly to underftand the fituation of the
United States. The publications, now difpofed
in that form, were all produced in America by
the ftate of things at the \noment, and were giv-
en to the world without any refervation as to the
writer's name. It is an interefting prefumption,
therefore, to perfons abroad, that confiderable de-
pendance may be reafonably placed by them up-
on fafts, which have been, in mod inftances, brought
forward with a view to the ufe of the inhabitants of
the United States, and which have been dated and
afferted, in the mod public manner, before the belt
informed people of the country. Grofs deceptions,
or many erroneous reprefentations are not very
likely to be found in fuch a colle6lion. It is, how-
ever, prudent and neceffary to obferve, that the
field of information and enquiry in the United States
is f'o extenfive, diverfified and variable, that many
very interefting faQs remain unknown to their moft
attentive inhabitants. There is no doubt, there-
fore, that thofe, who are well acquainted with any
portion of the United States, will perceive many
inftances of advantages, which are not contemplat-
ed in this colleftion. All that is intended to be af-
firmed, in regard to the matter they comprize, is,
that the various allegations they contain were really
warranted by truth or by fincere belief at the time
when they were written.

CHAPTER II.

Facts and considerations relative to the agricul-
ture, MANUFACTURES, FISHERIES, NAVIGATION, AND

the import, export and coasting trade; intended
to elucidate the commercial interests of the
United States.

NOTWITHSTANDING the aBual profpcri-
ty of the United States of America at this
time, it is a fa6l which ought not to be concealed,
that their affairs had fallen into a very difagreeable
condition in the year 1786. The derangements
and injuries of a civil and invafive war, of more
than feven years duration, the defers of the late
national confederation and government, the confu-
fed mafs of debts, both public and private, which
had arifen from various caufes, with other unfa-
vorable circumftances, had reduced the country to
a painful fituation. Commerce, among other things,
was of courfe deeply affeded. From the difpofi-
tions of free governments to fofter trade, and from
the facility with which the mercantile citizens
communicate with each other, meafures were takeri
in a majority of the dates for the appointment of a
convention of commiffioners to devife fome mode
of relief. The defeftive reprefentation, which that
body contained, when afTembled at Annapolis, *
and the alarming complexion of public affairs in
general at that jun6lure, produced an unanimous
convidion in the commiffioners, that the falvation

* In the autumn of 1786,

of the country required the appointment of ano-
ther convention, with more general powers. Such
a body was foon after conftituted, and commenced
its fittings at Philadelphia in the fpring of 1787.
The following confiderations relative to the Ame-
rican trade, were publifhed in that city, and in-
fcribed to the members of the convention at an
early period of their bufinefs. It is proper to re-
mark (and by the kindnefs of heaven it can be faid
with truth) that the unfavorable part of the circum-
ftances, which are detailed in this effay, have given
place to that profperous Hate of commerce, which
a country of diverfified and productive agriculture
muft ever poffefs, either in the foreign or domeftic
line, while it maintains with fincerity and vigilance
the freedom of its citizens , and with energy and firm-
nefs, the rights of property.

An enquiry into the principles^ on which a commer-
cial [yjiem for the United States of America fhould
he founded ; to which are added fome political ob-
fervations conneBed with the [iihjeB. — Read before
the fociety for political enquiries, convened at the
houfe of Benjamin Franklin, in Philadelphia, May

11, 1787-

There are in every country certain important
crifes when exertion or negleft muft produce con-
fequences of the utmoft moment. The period at
which the inhabitants of thefe ftates have now ar-
rived, will be admitted, by every attentive and fe-
rious perfon, to be clearly of this defcription.

Our money abforbed by a wanton confumption
of imported luxuries, a flu6luating paper medium
fubftituting in its (lead, foreign commerce* extreme-
ly circumfcribed and a federal government not only
inefFe6live but disjointed, tell us indeed too plainly,
that further negligence may ruin us forever. Im-
prefTed withthis view of our affairs, the writer of the
following pages has ventured to intrude upon the
public. But as neither his time nor opportunities
will permit him to treat of all the great obje6ls,
which excite his apprehenfions or engage his wifhes,
he means principally to confine himfelf to that part
of them, which have been mod fubjeded to his
obfervations and enquiries.

Juft opinions on our general affairs, mufl necef-
farily precede fuch a well devifed fyflem of com-
mercial regulations, as will extend our trade as far
as it can be carried, without affeding unfavorablv
our other interefts. It may therefore be uleful in
the firfl place, to take a comparative view of the
two mod important objeds in the United States —
our agriculture and commerce.

In a country blefl with a fertile foil, and a cli-
mate admitting fteady labour, where the cheapuefs
of land tempts the European from his home, and
the maniifaBurer from his trade^f we are led by a

* In regard to its old channels under the Britifii monopoly —
and the new channels not having then difcovered themfelves, or
their importance.

•f It may be truly affirmed in the middle flates that agriculture
draws more of the emigrating European artizans from manufac-
tures than manufadures draw of the farmers from agriculture.

few moments reflexion to fix on agriculture as the
great leading intereft. From this we fhall find moll
of our other advantages refult, fo far as they arife
from the nature of our affairs, and where they are
not produced by the operation of laws — the fifhe-
ries are the principal exception. In order to make
a true eftimate of the magnitude of agriculture,
"we muft remember that it is encouraged by few or
no duties on the importation of rival produce* —
that it furnifhes outward cargoes not only for all
our own fhips, but thofe alfo which foreign nations
fend to our ports, or in other words, that it pays for
all our importationst — that it fupplies a part of the
clothing of our people and the food of them and
their cattle — that what is confumed at home, inclu-
ding the materials for manufacturing, is many times
the value of what is exported — that the number of
people employed in agriculture, is at Icafl nine
parts in ten of the inhabitants of America^ — that
therefore the planters and farmers compofe the bo-
dy of the militia, the bulwark of the nation — that
the value in property, occupied by agriculture, is
manifold greater than that employed in every other
way — that the fettlement of our wafte lands, and
fubdividing our improved farms is every year in-
creafing the pre-eminence of the agricultural inte-
reft— that the refources we derive from it arc

* A. D. 1787, and under the laws of the feveral ftates.

f The fifheries were then the only exception, but manufadure*
are beginning to form another, tho' much lefs important, yet :
A. D.I 789.

t A. D. 1787.

at all times certain and indifpenfibly neceflary —
and laftly, that the rural life promotes health and
morality by its a6live nature, and by keeping our
people from the luxuries and vices of the towns.
In fhort, agriculture appears to be the fpring of
our commerce, and the parent of our manufac-
tures.

The commerce of America, including our exports,
imports, fhipping, manufa6lures and fifheries, may be
properly confidered as formirg one intereft. So
uninformed and miftaken have many of us been,
that it has been ftated as our greateft objeft, and it
is feared that it is yet believed by lome to be the
mod important intereft of New-England. But cal-
culations carefully made do not raife the proporti-
on of property, or the number of men employed in
manufa6lures, fifheries, navigation and trade,* to
one-eighth of the property and people occupied by
agriculture, even in that commercial quarter of the
Union. In making this eftimate fomething has
been deduced from the value and population of
the large towns for the idle and diflipated, for thofe
who live upon their incomes, and for fupernumera-
ry domeftic fervants. But the difproportion is
much greater, taking the union at large, for feveral
of the ftates have little commerce, and no manufac-
tures— others have no commerce and fcarcely ma-
nufaBure any thing. The timber, iron, cordage
and many other articles neceflary for building fhips
to fifh or trade — nine parts in ten of their cargoes

♦ As regular occupations, &c. A. D. 1787. The manufaftu-
rers are but little more than half pf the people of England.

— the fubfiftence of the nianufaQurers, and much
of their raw materials are the produce of our lands.
In almod all the countries of Europe, judicious
writers have confidered commerce as the handmaid
of agriculture : if true there, with us it muft be un-
queftionable. The United States have yet few fac-
tories to throw into the Icale againfl the landed inte-
reft. We have in our lands full employment for our
prefent inhabitants, and inftead of fending colonies
to newly difcovered iflands, we have adjoining
townfhips and counties, whofe vacant fields await
the future increafe of our people.

If a comparative view of the importance of our
various interefts fhould terminate in a conviftion
of the great fuperiority of agriculture over all the
reft combined — if emigration and natural increafe
are daily adding to the number of our planters and
farmers — if the ftates are poffefTed of millions of
vacant acres, that court the cultivator's hand — if
the fettlement of thefe immenfe trads will greatly
and fteadily increafe the means of fubfiftence, the
refources and powers of the country — if they will
prove an inherent treafare of which neither folly
nor chance can deprive us, let us be careful to do
nothing, which may interrupt this happy progrefs
of our affairs. Should we, from a mifconception
of our true interefts, or from any other caufe, form
a fyftem of commercial regulations, prejudicial to
this great mafs of property, and to this great body
of the people, we muft injure our country during
the continuance of the error, and we muft finally
return, under the difadvantages of further changes.

to tbat plan, which it mud be our fincere defire,
as it is our ferious duty, at this time to devile*.

While we feel an abfolute convi6lion, that our
true interefts fhould reftrain us from burdening or
impeding agriculture in any way whatever, we muft
be ready to admit, that found policy requires our
giving every encouragement to commerce and its
connexionst, which may be found conhftent with
a due regard to agriculture.

The communication between the different ports
of every nation is a bufinefs entirely in their pow-
er— The policy of moft countries has been to fe-
cure this domeftic navigation to their own people.
The extenfive coafts, the immenfe bays and nume-
rous rivers of the United States have already made
this an important obje6l, and it muft increafe with
our population^. As the places at which the car-
goes of coafting vefTels are delivered muft be fup-
plied with American produce from fome part of
the Union, and as the merchant can always have

* The flate of information, conne6led with cotiimercial legiHa*
tion was very unfatlsfaclory in 1787. We had veiy few ftate do-
cuments, and lefs of national. To legiflate then on the fubjeS waa
a more difficult and uncertain bufmefs than it now is. — A. D*

1795-

f The fifheries and manufaftures.

J The coafting vefTels, entered at the cuftom-houfe of PhiladcU
phia in the year 1785, were 567 failj all the other entries of fe»-
veflels in the fame year were 501,

American botroms to tranfport the goods of the
producing (late to the Itate confuming tnem, no
interruption to the market oF the planters and far-
mers can be apprehended from prohibiting tranf-
portation in foreign bottoms from port to port
within the United States- — A fingle exception may
perhaps be proper, permitting foreign veflels to
carry from port to port, yor thz purpojc (]/ finiJJiing
their JaleSy any goods that fhall h^ part of the car-
goes they brought into the Union, fro7n the lajl foreign
place at which they loaded. The fleets of colliers
on the Britifli coaft evince the pofTible benefits of
fuch a regulation*.

The confumption of fifh, oil, whalebone and
other articles obtained through the bflieries, in the
towns and counties that are convenient to naviga-
tion, has become much greater than is generally
fuppofed. It is faid that no lefs than five thoufand
barrels of mackarel, falmon and pickled cod-fifli,
are vended in the city of Philadelphia annually.
Add to them the dried fi(h, oil, fpermaceti candles,
whalebone. Sec, and it v;ill be found that a little
ileet of floops and fchooners mull be employed in
the bufinefs.

The demand for the ufe of the inhabitants of
thofe parts of the Union to which thefe fupplies

* The freight made by a foreign vcffcl from Bofton to Phila*
delphia, or from New-York to Virginia, or from Philadelphia to
Charleftor; is a total lofs to the United States.

can be carried, is already confiderable, and the
increafe of our towns and manufaftures will render
it more (o every year. In the prefent ftate of our
navigation we can be in no doubt of procuring
thefe fupplics by means of our own vefTels. The
country that interferes moft with us in our own
market is Nova Scotia, which alfo, it is faid, has
had fome cm.igrants from our fifliing towns fince
the decline of their bufinefs. Such encourage-
ment to this valuable branch of commerce, as would
fecure the benefits of it to our own people, with-
out injuring our other efiential interells, is certain-
ly worth attention. The Convention v^^iil, proba-
bly, find on confideration of this point, that a duty
or prohibition of foreign articles, fuch as our own
fiiheries fupply, will be fafe and expedient*.

The article in the Britifh trade laws, which con-
fines the importation of foreign goods to the bot-
toms of the country producing them, and of their
own citizens, appears applicable to our fituation.
By means of thofe two flags we (liould be certain
of the neceffary importations, and w^e fliould throw
out of each department of the carrying trade every
competitor, except the fhips of the nation by which
the goods were produced or manufactured. All trade
whit feveral cjuntries, fuch as China and India,

* The plan of the Convent'on was not at that time known.
Inftead of a pov.-er tc lay particular duties being granted to Con-
grefs, the letter grant of a power to regulate our national com-
merce was^niade.

whofe veffels feldom or never make foreign voya-*
ges, would be fecured in our ov/n hands. It wilk
be found, that a modified application of this regu-
lation in pra6lice, will be attended with no diffi-
culties or inconveniencies, and befides the imme-
diate benefits already mentioned, our merchants
will be led direBly to the original market for the
fupplies of which we (land in need. Inftead of
purchafing the goods of RuIIia or the Eaft-Indies
in England, France or Holland, our own fliips
will fail dire6lly to the fountain from whence they
have hitherto flowed to us through foreign chan-
nels. The credits given to us in Europe after the
peace, kept us in the praBice of going to a very
few places, for all our importations. But they
have trufted us in many inftances at a dear rate
indeed, and however uleful credit may be as a fup-
plement to our means of trade in this young coun-
try, it is very certain that we fliould tirft lay out,
to the beft advantage, our fiinds in hand.

Thefe are the principal encouragements to fo-
reign commerce, which occur at prefent as proper
to form a part of a permanent fyftem for the Unit-
ed States. Regulations for temporary purpofes,
fuch as reflriftions and prohibitions affefting par-
ticular nations, it is not meant to fpeakofhere.
It muft be obferved, however, that they fhould be
adopted with great prudence and deliberation, a*
they may affeft us very unfavourably, if they
iliould be tried in vain.

In taking meafures to promote manufa&arcs,\vc
muft be careful, that the injuries to agriculture and
the general interefts of commerce do not exceed
the advantages refulting from them. The circum-
Jlances of the coitntry, as they relate to this hnjinefsy
Jhould be dijpajftonately and thorougly examined^.
Tho' it is confeffed that the United States have full
employment for all their citizens in the extenfive
field of agriculture, yet as we have a valuable bo-
dy of manufafturers already here, as many more
will emigrate from Europe, mod of whom may
chufe to continue at their trades, and as we have
fome citizens fo poor as not to be able to effed a
little fettlement on our wafte lands, there is a real
neceffity for fome wholefome general regulations
on this head. By taking care not to force manu-
fa8ures in thofe ftates, where the people are fewer,
tillage much more profitable, and provifions dearer
than in feveral others, we fhall give agriculture its
full fcope in the former, and leave all the benefits
of manufa^uring (fo far as they are within our reach)
to the latter. South-Carolina, for example, muft,
in many indances, roanufafture to an evident lofst,
while the advancement of that bufinefs in Mafia-
chufetts will give the means of fubfiftence to many,
whofe occupations have been rendered unprofitable
by the confequences of the revolution. A liberal
policy on this fubjed Ihould be adopted, and the

* This has been frequently done fince 1786, and the fubjecl is
naw reduced to fame plain and fafe principles.

f Domeftic manufa6luring mull be always excepted.

produce of the fouthern ftates fhould be exchanged
for fuch manufattures as can be made by the nor-
thern, free from impoft*.

Another inducement to fome falutary regulations
on this lubje6t, will be fuggelted by confidering
fome of our means of conducing raanufa6lures.
Unlefs bufinefs of this kind is carried on, certain
great natm'al powers of the country will remain in-
aQive and uielefs. Our numerous mill feats^ for
example, by which flour, oil, paper, fnufP, gunpow-
der, iron work, woolen cloaths, boards and fcant-
ling, and fome other articles are prepared or per-
fected, would be given by Providence in vain. If
properly improved, they will fave us an immenfe
expence for the wages, provifions, cloathing and
lodging of workmen, without diverting the people
from their farms — Fire, as well as water, affords,
if we may fo ipeak, a fund of afliflance, that can-
not lie unufed without an evident neglc8:ofour
bed interells. Breweries, which we cannot efti-
mate too highly, diflilieries, fugar houfes, potte-
ries, cading and fteel furnaces, and feveral other
works are carried on by this powerful element, and
attended with the fame favings, as were particula-
rized in fpeaking of water machines — 'Tis proba-
ble alfo that a frequent ufe of fleam engines will
add greatly to this clafs of factories. In fome cafes,

* From the clauie in tlie Federal Conditution, which fecures
this advantage, a great fpring is given to tl:e coafting trade, and
to Americ:^n manufa£tures.

-where fire and water are not employed, horfes are
made to ferve the purpofe as \vell, and on much
lower terms than men. The cheapnefs and the ea-
ly encreafe of thefe ferviceable animals infure us
this aid to any extent that occafion may require,
which however is not likely to be very great.

The encouragement to agriculture, afforded by
fome manufaftories, is a realbn of folid weight in
favoiir of carrying them on with induftry and fpi-
rit. Malt liquors, if generally ufed, linfeed oil,
ftarch (and were they not a poifon to our morals
and conflitutions we might add grain fpirits) would
require more grain to make them, than has been
exported in any year fince the revolution*.— We
cannot omit to obferve here, that beer (Irengthens
the arm of the labourer without debauching him,
while the noxious drink now ufed enervates and
corrupts him — The workers in leather too of eve-
ry kind, in flax and hemp, in iron, wood, ftonc
and clay, in furs, horn, and many other articles
employ either the fpontaneous productions of the
earth, or the fruits of cultivation.

If we are convinced, by thefe confiderations, that
regular factories of many kinds fhould be promoted
in the molt fuiiable part of the Union, let us next
confider, whether the encouragements now held
out to them are at prefent fufficient and proper.

* A fenfible and well-informed Englirti writer fiates the quan-
tity of grain made into drink in Britain at twenty-four n:i'iions of
bufhels, \'alued st /".3,ocOjCCC ftcrling.

'" The neareft rivals of our ftiahufaBurers atM
thofc of Europe, who are fubjeded to * tlie follow-
ing charges in bringing their goods into dur mar-
ket: The merchant's commiffion for fhipping from
the foreign port, and the fame charge for felling
here, the coft of packages, cuftom-houfe papets in
Europe, and the fame charge with a duty of five
per cent, here*, porterages, freight, infuranc^; da-
mage, interefl: of money, wafte, and lofs on ex-
change— Thefe may be rated at twenty-five per
cent, on the leaft bulky of our manufadurest. Here

' *■ The duties have been ralfcd, with a view to retreritte, to tft
kaft 7f per cent, on all manufactured goods: and w'ith a view to
the protection of manufa6lures, they have been advanced upon fe-
veral claffes of articles to lo, I2y, 15, and 15! per cent. The
fpecific duties are much higher. See table of duties. A. D. 1793.
' f We have no manufacture more compaCt than a piece of yard
wide Imen, equal to what coft i^d. fterling in Europe. Tlie fol-
lov^ring minute calculation will (hew the charges, under which a
package of lool. fterling value of that article can be imported.

Currency.
64 pieces of linen of 25 yards each, v»^Ill be 1600 yards,

which, at 1 5d. amount to I ool. fterling, - - 166 13 4
Outv/ard entry, debenture certificate, and fearchers

fees, porterage, wharfage, bill of lading in Europe

are 153. fterling, or in currency - - - 150

Jnfurance to cover charges, commiffion for efteCting

and part policy, £.^ 3s. fterling, or currency, - 5 5 ^
Coft of cafe, ropes, and packing, 153. fterling, - 15©
One year's intereft on firft coft, and European chargca . • < ; : ? 1

on the goods, £,^ 5s. fterling, - - - 8 j.5 :q

\_N.B. Thisistoolow, forthemanufaduringho'jiesjputtwioe, ■ .^ ^>

ftat advance upon what the goods are worth in ca/h,^

Carried over, £'^'^3 3 4

is a folid premium, operating like a bounty, while
it happily cofts the confumer nothing but what he
would otherwile be obliged to pay ; for the charges
of importation are unavoidable, and the duty being
merely for the purpofe of revenuCy is applied to pay
the public debts and expences of which he owes
his proportion. This encouragement can be fome-
"what encreafed by exempting raiv materials from duty,
■which may be very fafe and proper, and by addi-

Currency.

Brought fon\*ard, - - - ^'•^^3 3 4

!Duty on the value of goods in America edimated at

i6ol. currency for lool. fterling coft, at 5 per cent. 800
Commifllon on (hipping, £.i^l 4 4 iu Europe, at

2-2 per cent.
Part cuftom-houfe bond and permit, and primage,

Commifiion on the fales and remitting, fiippofing the
goods to fell for 210I. currency, per lOol. ilerlinj
coft, at 7 1 per cent. _ . -

Freight of 13 1-3 feet, at 1/3 fterling per foot,

Porterage, - - - -

Dcdud the finl coft as above,

£.2$ 2 I fterling, being the charges, is equal to £. 41 16 10

In this calculation, wafte, which of fome articles is great, da-
tnages below 5 per cent, which the underwriters do not pay, in-
juries not within the rifk infured, difference of exchange no\7 C
per cent, above par ,and other lofies on remitting, poftages of
letters, and bad debts on fales at a long credit, as well as the pro-
fit of the importer and the higher rate of duties, which feveral
claffes of goods pay are not taken notice of, though feveral of
them really occur in every importation.

208

166

tional duties and prohibitions, which might in-
duce the lols of the revenue and in injury to mo-
rals from fmuggling, and would throw upon the
other members of the commercial intereft and the
cuhivators and improvers of our lands an unne-
ceflkry burden. The manufacturers are a judici-
ous body of men, and love their country. There
is every reafon to confide therefore, that when
they fee a fubflantial advantage of twenty-five j&(?r
cent, at leait in favour of their goods, which cannot
he taken from thejUy they will defire that govern-
ment fliould refrain from further duties and pro-
hibitions. This eftimate being made upon the fin-
eft of our manufactures, it is evident that the more
bulky and weighty would exhibit the advantages
of our own workmen in a yet ftronger light.

The clear air and powerful fun of America arc
other advantages which our manufafturers enjoy*
When the linen and cotton branches fhall become
confidcrable, a great faving of time and money will
be made by the climate, and where bleaching is ef-
feBed principally by the fun and water, the quality
of the clpth is known to be more excellent. The Eu-
ropean procefs by drugs and machines impairs the
ftrength. Ireland, it is confeffed, with a climate very
different from ours, is remarkable for the quality of
its linens, but they do not equal the American home-
fpun in ftrength. In confirmation of the above
opinion, it may be mentioned, that there was a
plan formed before the revolution, by a number
of Engliih merchants, of eilablifhing a company

with a large capital, to import the brown linens of
JEiurope to be bleached here for the fupply of our
.markets.

In this country the confumer's money follows
the delivery of the manufacture, therefore lefs ca-
pital is required. In every part of Europe exten-
five credits are given upon their goods. For tho'
.fo,me nations have not got into the habit of truft-
ing us, their own merchants are known to buy on
cafy terms of payment. France is, perhaps, as lit-
tle accuftomed to give thefe indulgencies as any
other great country in Europe, yet nothing is paid
for there, in lefs than two months, and the credits
are extended from that time to twelve months ac-
cording to the article. At the expiration of the
term an accepted bill at fixty days is confidered as
^prompt payment, fo that the aftual term of credit
js from four m.onths to fourteen.

To thefe rnight be added feveral other little ad-
vantages, the joint benefits of which are fenfibly
felt, but it is pre fumed that enough has been faid
to fatisfy the jud: and patriotic mind, though con-
cerned in the bufinefs, that a further addition of
duties would not promote the general intereds of
the country. V/e mull here beg leave however
Jlrenuoufly to recommend, that every duty on A-
raeriqan produce: or manufaBures, impoliticly and
unkindly impofed by the laws of feveral of the
Hates, fhould be taken off, and that the juftice and
found policy of the alteration fliould be declared

and admiiied in fome public inflrument: and as
(hips may be very properly confidered as the great^
eft article we inake, the tonnage on our own bot5-
toms iho'jld be equalized throughout the Union>
and the extra duties on goods imported in vef-
fels not belonging to the ftate in which they are
landed, (hould be done away — Complaints againft
the trade laws of foreign nations come not confill-
cntly from thofc who lay fimilar burdens on their
lifter ftates.

A further encouragement to manufaQures will
refult from improvements and difcoveries in agri-
culture— There are many raw materials, that could
be produced in this country in abundance, which
have hitherto been very limited. Cotton for many
years before the revolution was not worth more
than nine pence fterling in the Weft-India Jflands.
The perfeBion of the faflories in Europe has raifed
it to fuch a pitch, that befides the prohibition
againft fliipping it from the colonies to any foreign
port, the price has rifen fifty per cent. The con-
fumers in Pennfylvania have paid near two (hillings
•fterling for the importation of this year. This article
muft be worth the attention of the fouthern planters.

If the facls and obfervations in the preceding
part of this paper be admitted to be true and juft,.^
and if we take into confideration with them the fuf^J
periority of foreign commerce, and the fiftierief,
bvcr our manufa61ories*, we may come to the foU

* A. D. 1787.

lowing conclurions — That the United States of
America cannot make a proper ufe of the natural
advantages of the country, nor promote her agri-
culture and other interefts without many fa8u res,
that they cannot enjoy the attainable benefits oF
commerce and the fifheries, without fome general
reftri8ions and prohibitions afl^eding foreign na-
tions, that in forming thefe reftriclions and prohi-
tions, as well as in eftablifiiing manufa^ories, there
is occafion for the greateit deliberation and wif-
dom, that nothing may be introduced, xjuhich can
interfere with the fale of our produce , or with tJic
fettlement and improvement of our new lands.

Among the political confiderations, which mull
neceflarily be admitted in treating of this fuhje^t,
the force that may be required for our proteQion
16 not to be forgotten. It is certainly the greateit
that attends it. America, we may ailume, can
have no inducement to engage in European wars.
From our local fituation we may keep ourfeives
long difengaged from them. The principal Euro-
pean nations would find us an unprofitable and
troublefome enemy. The trade of prance, Great-
Britain, Spain, Holland and Portugal, which pades
by our coafts, are a fecurity againft their hollilities.
A war among them, in which we fhould take no
part, would be more beneficial to our farmers^
merchants and manufadurers than all the advanta-
ges we could obtain, if engaged in it ouifelves.
Our fhips would carry for them, or inftead of" theirs,
and our lands and manufu6iories would furnifii the

fupplies of their fleets and iflands in the Weft-In-
dies. To coun-terbalance thefe advantages, and to
•pay the expences of a war would require captures
rich and numerous indeed; but what would com-
penfate us for the drain of peafantry and the loft
opportunity of cultivating commerce and the arts
of peace. A war merely offenfive cannot be ap-
prehended. The fortune of the Britifli arms againft
America undifciplined and divided, will inftru6l
our enemies to beware of invafions after the mili-
tary leflbns taken from that long and ferious con-
telt. Having no foreign colonies whofe fitua-
tion and weaknefs would fubje6l them to their at-
tacks, and having all our refources at hand to de-
fend our own coaRs, and cut up their trade in its
■palfage by our doors, no European power will be
inclined to infultor moled us. Should any of thetn
be fo infenfible to their own interefts, as to depart
from the policy, which evidently ought to govern
them, America, by acting in concert with the moll
powerful enemy of fuch hoilile country, mull com-
mence a war, which however inconvenient and
difagreeable to us, would be ruinous to their Weft-
India trade, and fatal to their colonies. We are
not deftitute of refources and pov/ers to injure
them or defend ourfelves. Our inland navigation,
coafting trade and fifheries, and the portion of fo-
reign commerce we muft inevitably enjoy, are no
inconfiderable nurferies for feamcn. Good naval
officers we fliould not want: they have never been
fcarce, and one happy effecl: of the revolution has
certainly been to raile the reputation of the marine

life, and to increafe the talents and refpe^lability
^f its followers. Foreign I'eanien too, would find
great temptations to enter on board our privateers
and fhips of war, and might be hired in any num-
bers we could pay. The increafe of the Itrength
and riches of the country, by filling up our vacant
lands, is the infallible method by which the necef-
fary means may be acquired.

It will not be amifs to draw a piQure of our
country, as it would really exift under the ope-
ration of a fyftem of national laws formed upon
thefe principles. While we indulge ourfelves in
the contemplation of a fubje8: at once fo intereft-
ing and dear, let us confine ourfelves to fubftantial
faBs, and avoid thofe pleafing delufions into which
the fpirits and feelings of our countrymen have too
often mifled them.

In the foreground we fiiould find the raafs of our
citizens — the cultivators (and what is happily for
us in mod inftances the fame thing) the indepen-
dent proprietors of the foil. Every wheel would
appear in motion that could carry forward the in-
terefts of this great body of our people, and bring
into aBion the inherent powers of the country,
A portion of the produce of our lands would be
confumed in the families or employed in the bufi-
nefs of our manufa6lurers — a further portion would
be applied in the iufienance of our merchants and
fifhermen and their numerous aiTiltants, and the re-
mainder would be tranlported by thofe that could

carry it at the lowefl freight (that is with the fmaiU
eft dedu6lion from the aggregate profits of the bu-
finefs of the coantry) to the heft foreign markets.
On one fide we ihould fee our manufafturers en-
couraging the tillers of the earth by the confump-
tion and employment of the fruits of their labours,
and fupplying them and the reft of their fellow ci-
tizens with the inftruments of their occupations*
and the necelfaries and conveniencies of life, in
every inftance wherein it could be done without
unnecelTarily diftrefling commerce and increafing
the labours of the huft^andmen, and the difficulties
of changing our remaining wilds into fcenes of cul^
tivation and plenty. Commerce, on the other handy
attentive to the general interefts, w^ould come for-
ward with offers to range through foreign climates
in fearch of thofe fupplies, which the manufaQur-
ers could not furnifti but at too high a price, or
which nature has not given us at home, in return
for the furplus of thofe ftores, that had been drawn
from the ocean or produced by the earth.

On a review of the preceding fa6ls and obferva-
tions there appears good reafon to believe, that
the neceffary meafures might be taken to render
our farms profitable and to improve our new lands*
and that our raanufa6tures, fiflieries, navigation
and trade, would ftill be confidtrable. The long
voyage by which all interfering foreign articles
muft be brought to thefe markets, and the inevita*
hie necejjity for a revenue^ give us, as hath been
demonftrated, a virtual bounty of twenty-five ^^r

lent, in favor of our own commodities, and tbis in
the leaft favorable inftances. When returning oc-
conomy,,: a«d the fall of srents and proyifions lliall
have reduced the expences of living, when our in-
creafing farms fhall have poured in their addition
of raw materials, and we Ihall have felt the fhort-
nefs of importation produced by the fufPering of
our credit abroad, and by the check which has been
given to foreign adventurers in our trade, this differ-
ence of twenty-five per cent, will have a fenfibleef-
fe6l*. Being rated on the whole value of the arti-
cle, that is, as well on the labour as the raw mate-
rials, it is in fa6: fifty per cent, on the labour in all
cafes wherein the workmanfliip is half the value
of the manufaclured goods, and fo in proportion
where it is more. Beer, diftilled liquors, pot-afh,
gun-powder, cordage, loaf fugar, hanging and writ-
ing paper, fnuff, tobacco, (larch, anchors, nail
rods, and many other articles of iron, bricks,
tiles, potters ware, mill-fiones, and other ftone
work, cabinet work, corn fans, Windfor chairs,
carriages, fadlery, flioes and boots, and other wear-
ing apparel, coarfe linens, hats, a few coarfe wool-
en articles, linfeed oil, wares of gold and filver,
tin and copper, fome braziery, wool cards, worms
and dills, and feveral other articles may be confi-
dered as eftablifhed. Thefe are tending to greater
perfeQ:ion, and will foon be fold fo cheap as to
throw foreign goods of the fame kind entirely out
of the market.

* This has now become very evident. A. D. 1793*

Many of the fame circumftances, that favour the
manufafturer, will render the fifheries more profita-
ble, and from the cheapnefs of veffels, they, will be
carried on at lefs expence than in the few laft years.
The Am.erican market, where the confumption
(with population) is increafing faft, may be entirely
fecured to them. Our manufadories and towns
-will annually make larger demands for candles, oil,
-whalebone and pickled fifh, and it would be good
policy to extend the confumption of the dried
cod. The Danifii and French iflands, and the free
ports in the Weft-Indies, receive fome of the pro-
duceof the fifheries — France is likely to take off a
confiderable quantity, as alfo are the Spaniards>
Portuguefe and Italians, and the Englifh will al-
ways want certain articles for their manufadories,
though not to any great amount — New-England,
the feat of the fifheries, has the great advantage of
being the cheapeft and moft populous part of Ame-
rica. Its inhabitants are healthy, aftive and intel-
ligent, and can be frugal ; wherefore there appears
good reafon to be believe, that many factories will
in the courfe of a very few years revive their de-
clining towns.

The commercial citizens of America have for
fome time felt the deepeft diftrefs. Among the
principal caufes of their unhappy fituation were the
inconfiderate fpirit of adventure to this country,
which pervaded almoft every kingdom in Europe,
and the prodigious credits from thence given to our

merchants on the return of peace. Tothefc maybe
added the high fpirits and the golden dreams, which
naturally followed fuch a war, clofed with fo much
honor and fuccefs. — Triumphant over a great ene-
my, courted by the moft powerful nations in the
world, it was not in human nature that America
fhould immediately comprehend her new fituation.
Really pofTefl'ed of the means of future greatnefs, ftie
anticipated the moft diftant benefits of the revolu-
tion, and confidered them as already in her hands.
She formed the higheft expedations, many of which
however, ferious experience has taught her to relin-
quifh, and now that the thoughtlefs adventures and
imprudent credits from foreign countries take place
no more*, and time has been given for cool reflec-
tion, fhe can fee her real fituation and need not be
difcouraged.

Our future trade may comprehend the fifheries,
with the exclufive benefit of fupplying our own
markets, as hath been already obferved. The
coafting tradet will be entirely fecured to us.
The right of bringing the commodities of foreign
countries may be divided with the fhips of the
nation from whom they come, or in thofe cafes
where they have no native fliips, the carrying

* An application of the foregoing obfcrvations to the commerci-
al fubjedl, can only be admlilible into this effay.

f This, though not in form, Is yet, in effeft, fecured to us.
The coafting trade will receive a great fpring from the Chefapeak
collieries In a few years, fhould no others be difcovered on navlgar
ble water.

trade may be our own*. The revolution has open-
ed to us fome new branches of valuable commerce.
The intercourfe with France was next to none be-
fore the war, and with RufTiat, India and China
not thought of. With a6livity and drift economy
we may pay Europe with fome of the produce of
India, for a part of the goods with which they fup-
ply us, and if we do not over-regulate trade, we
Ihall be an entrepot of certain commodities for their
Weft-Indian and South-American colonies. Be-
fides thefe objefts all the manufaBuring countries
and many free ports will be open to us, and we
may adventure in foreign fliips to a confiderable
extent, though it would be more defirable to em-
ploy our own. As the propofed regulations would
compel the Britifti or Dutch merchants, to import
into the United States a part of the produce of
France and Spain in American bottoms, fo may
ours ferve the general interefts of their country by
fending tobacco to Sweden, or flour, rice and live
flock to the Britifli colonies in the veflels of the
refpedive nations.

The foundations of national wealth and confe-
quence are fo firmly laid in the United States, that
T\o Jorcign power can undermine or deftroy them.
But the enjoyment of thefe fubftantial bleffings is

* This Idea remains for confideration as before obferved.
f With Ruffia it is not at prefent likely to be very great. Our
produfts and manufacluies are fimilar and bulky: Our pofitions

remote.

rendered precarious by domeftic circumftances.
Scarcely held together by a v/eak and half formed
federal eonftitution, the powers of our national
government, are unequal to the complete execution
of any falutary purpofe, foreign or domeftic. The
evils refulting from this unhappy ftate of things
have again fhocked our reviving credit, produc-
ed among our people alarming inftances of dil-
obedience to the laws, and if not remedied,
muft deftroy our property, liberties and peace.
Foreign powers, however difpofed to favor us, can
expe6l neither fatisfaQion nor benefit from treaties
with Congrefs, while they are unable to enforce
them. We can therefore hope to fecure no privi-
leges from them, if matters are thus conduced.
We muft immediately remedy this defeB; or fufFer
exceedingly. Defultory commercial ads of the le-
giflatures, formed on the impreflfion of the moment,
proceeding from no uniform or permanent princi-
ples, clafhing with the laws of other ftates and op-
pofing thofe made in the preceding year by the
enacting ftate, can no longer be fupported, if we
are to continue one people. A fyfievi which will
promote the general interejis zoith the fmallcjl injury
to particular ones has become indifpenfibly necejjary.
Commerce is more afFe6led by the diftra6tions and
evils arifing from the uncertainty, oppofition and
errors of our trade laws, than by the rcftridions of
any one pov/er in Europe. A negative upon all
commercial aBs of the legiflatures, if granted to
Congrefs wold be pcrfeBly fafe, and muft have an

excellent efFe6l*. If thought expedient it Ihould
be given as well with regard to thofe that exift, as
to thofe that may be devifed in future. Congrefs
would thus be enabled to prevent every regulation,
that might oppofe the general interefts, and by re-
(Iraining the ftates from impolitic laws, would gra-
dually bring our national commerce to order and
perfeBion.

We have ventured to hint at prohibitory powers,
but fhall leave that point and the general power of
regulating trade to thofe who may undertake to
confider the political objefts of the Convention,
fuggefting only the evident propriety of enabling
Congrefs to prevent the importation of foreign com-
modities, fuch as can be made from our own raw ma-
terialst. When any article of that kind can be fup-
plied at home, upon as low terms as thofe on which
it can be imported, a manufaBure of our own pro*
duce, fo well eftablifhed, ought not by any means
to be facrificed to the interefts of foreign trade, or
fubjeBed to injury by the wild fpeculations of igno-
rant adventurers. In all cafes careful provifion
fliould be made for refunding the duties on expor-
tation, which renders the impoft a virtual excife
without being liable to any of the objections which
have been made againft an aBual one, and is a
great encouragement to trade.

* The power over commerce granted by t^ie federal confti-
tution is far preferable to this.

f Though this fhould be moll cautioufly done, it merits careful
attention.

The reftoration of public credit at home and
abroad fhould be the firft wifli of our hearts, and re-
quires every economy, every exertion we can make.
The wife and virtuous axioms of our political con-
flitutions, refulting from a lively and perfe8: fenfe of
Avhat is due from man to man, fliould prompt us to
the difcharge of debts of fuch peculiar obligation.
We ftand bound to no common creditors. The
friendly foreigner, the widow and the orphan, the
truftees of charity and religion, the patriotic citi-
zen, the war-worn foldier and a magnanimous al-
ly— thefe are the principal claimants upon the feel-
ings and juftice of America. Let her apply all her
refources to this great duty, and wipe away the
darkeft ftain, that has ever fallen upon her. The
general impoft — the fale of the lands and every
other unnelTary article of public property — reftrain-
ing with a firm hand every needlefs expence of go-
vernmentand private life — fteady and patient induf-
ftry, with proper difpofitionsin the people, would re-
lieve us of part of the burden, and enable Congrefs
to commence their payments, and with the aid of
taxation, would put thefinking and funding of our
debts within the power of the United States.

The violence committed on the rights of proper-
ty under the authority of tender laws in fome of
the Hates, the familiarity with which that pernicious
meafure has been recurred to, and the fhamelefs
perfeverance with which it has been perfifted in
after the value of the paper was confefTedly gone,
call aloud for fome remedy. This is not merely a

matter of juftice between man and man. Itdiftio-
nors our national charaQer abroad, and the engine
has been employed to give the coup de grace to pub-
lic credit. It would not be difficult perhaps to
form a new article* of confederation to prevent it
in future, &nd a queftion may arife whether fellow-
fhip with any flate, that would refufe to admit it^
can be fatisfaftory or fafe. To remove difficulties
it need not be retrofpe8.ive. The prefent ftate of
things inflead of inviting emigrants, deters all who
have the means of information, and are capable of
thinking. The fettlement of our lands, and the
introduBion of manufactories and branches of trade
yet unknown among us or requiring a force of ca-
pital, which are to make our country rich and
powerful, are interrupted and fufpended by our
want of public credit and the numerous diforders
of our government."

The meafures of the convention of 1787, iffued,
as it is univerfally known, in impofing 2i conjlitution"
al prohibition upon paper emiffions, paper tenders
and other pernicious violations of the rights of
property, in the confirmation of the foreign trea-
ties by an ad of the people, in the eftablifhment of
a national legiflature with complete powers over

* This idea is moft happily carried to the iitmoft length we
could defire in the federal conftitution and the claufe is no lefs fa-
vorable to commerce than to private virtue and national honour.

commerce and navigation, defence, war and peace,
money, and all the other great objefts of national
economy. The confequences of this wife and fin-
gular effort of the American people are beginning
to be known to the world, and fome of them will
appear in the latter chapters of this volume.

CHAPTER III.

Skitches of the subject of American Manufactures
in 1787, preparatory to exertions tor their ad-
vancement and increase.

THE various political diforders of 1787, and
the want o{ national fyftem, affeQed very fe-
verely a number of perfons in the large towns,
who were engaged in the different branches of ma-
nufaftures. Thefe were more numerous and much
more important, than was at that time perceived
by perfons of the clofeft obfervation. The laws
of fome of the dates impofed confiderable duties
upon the fabrics of all the reft ; in fome inftances
as high as the impoft on fimilar articles manufac-
tured in foreign countries. The remains of the
exceffive importations of the four preceding years
were conftantly offered for fale at prices lower than
their coft in Europe, and lefs than they could be
made for in America. From a deep fenfe of thefe
inconveniencies exertions were commenced, in va-
rious parts of the United States, by perfons of all
defcriptions, to relieve the manufaQuring citizens;
which appeared the more defirable to many, be-
caufe the neceffary meafures tended, at the fame
time, to promote the great caufe of union among the
JlateSy and to reprefs habits of expenfe, which the
war, and the peace likewife, though from very dif-
ferent caufes, had introduced into moft of the
towns, and into too many parts of the country.

The citizens of Philadelphia took a very a8:ive part
in thefe falutary meafures, and inftituted a ibciety,
which afterwards proved of confiderable utility, to
carry their views into execution. The addrefs,
which is comprized in this chapter, was prepared
in confequence of a requeft from one of the meet-
ings, which were held by the promoters of the in-
ftitution, and other patrons of the internal trade
and manufadures of the United States.

An Addrefs to an ajjcmhly of the friends of Ameri-
can manufaElureSy convened for the purpofe of ejla-
hlifJiing a Society for the encouragement of Mann-
faBures and the ife/ul arts, in the Univerfity of
Pennfylvania^ on Thurfday^ the gth of Aiigiijl^
1787, and piihUfied at their requef,

GENTLExMEN,

WHILE I obey with fincere pleafure the com-
mands of the refpeQable affembly whom I have
now the honor to addrefs, I feel the niofl trying
emotions of anxiety and apprehenfion in attempting
to perform fo difBcult and ferious a duty, as that pre-
fcribed to me at our laft meeting. The importance
and novelty of the fubje6t, the injurious confe-
quences of miftaken opinions on it and your pre-
fence neceffarily excite feelings fuch as thefe.
They are leflened however, by the hope of fome
benefit to that part of my fellow citizens, who de-
pend for comfort on our native manufactures, and
by an ardent wilh to promote every meafure, that
will give to our new-born dates the ftrength of man-

hood. Supported by thefe confideratlons and rely-^
ing on the kind indulgence, which is ever iliewn
to well-meant endeavours, hov;ever unfuccefsful, I
Ihall venture to proceed.

Providence has bellowed upon the United States
of America means of happinefs, as great and nu-
merous, as are enjoyed by any country in the world.
A foil fruitful and diverfified — a healthful climate —
mighty rivers and adjacent feas abounding with fifh
are the great advantages for which we are indebted
to a beneficent creator. Agriculture, manufa6lures
and commerce, naturally arifing from thefe fources,
afford to our induftrious citizens certain fubfiflence
and innumerable opportunities of acquiring wealth.
To arrange our affairs in falutary and well digejied,
jyJlemSy by which the fruits of induftry, in every
line, may be mod eafily attained, and the pofiefiion
of property and the bleffings of liberty may be com-
pletely fecu red— thefe are the important objeQs,
that fhould engrofs our prefent attention. The in-
terefts of commerce and the eftablifhment of a juft
and effe8ive government are already committed to
the care of THE AUGUST BODY* now fitting
in our capital.^ — The importance of agriculture has
longTince recommended it to the patronage of nu-
merous afibciations, and the attention of all the le-
giflatures^ — but manufaftures, at lead in Pennfyl-
vania, have had but few linconneBed friends, till
found policy and public fpirit gave a late, but au-
fpicious birth, to this Society.

* The Federal Convention,

"37

- The fituation of America before the revolution
^-was very unfavourable to the objeQs of this infti-
tution. The prohibition of moll foreign raw ma-
terials— confiderable bounties in England for car-
rying away the unwrought productions of this
country to that, as well as on exporting Britifh
goods from their markets — tlie preference for thofe
goods, which habit carried much beyond what their
excellence would juftify, and many other circum-
ftances, created artificial impediments which ap-
peared almoft infuperable. Several branches how-
ever were carried on with great advantage. But
as long as we remained in our colonial fituation,
our progrefs was very flow ; and indeed the necef-
fity of attention to manufaftures was not fo urgent,
as it has become fince our affuming an independent
ftation. The employment of thofe, whom the de-
cline of navigationt has deprived of their ufual oc-
cupations— the confumption of the encreafing pro-
diice of our lands and ffherieSy and the certainty of
fupplies in the time of war are very v/eighty reafons
for eftablifhing new manufatlories now, which cx-
ifted but in a fmall degree, or not at all, before
the revolution.

While we readily admit, that in taking mcafures
to promote the cbjeQs of this fociety, nothing
fiould he attempted^ •which may injure our agricultu-
ral intereflsy they being undoubtedly the moll im-
portant, we muft obferve in juilice to ourfelves,
that very many of our citizens, who are expert at

-I- A. D. 1787.

manufaftures and the ufeful arts, are entirely un-
acquainted with rural affairs, or unequal to the
expences of a new fettlement; and* 7nany we may
believe, will come among us invited to our (hores
Jrom foreign countries^ by the bleffings of liberty,
civil and religious. We may venture to affert too,
that more profit to the individual and riches to
the nation will be derived from fome manufa6lures>
which promote agriculture, than from any fpecies
of cultivationt whatever. The truth of this re-
mark however, will be better determined, when
the fubjeQ: (hall be further confidered.

Let us firft endeavour to difencumber manufac-
tures of the objeftions, that appear againft them,
the principal of which are, the high rate of laboury
which involves the price of provifions — the want of
a Jufficient number of hands on any terms, — the
Jcarcity and dearnefs of raw materials— want of Jkill
in the bufinefs itfelf and its unfavorable effedis on
the health of the people.

Faftories which can be carried on by water-mills,
wind-mills, fire, horfes and machines ingenioufly
contrived, are not burdened with any heavy ex-
penfe of boarding, lodging, clothing and paying

* This has been the great dependance and the great means In
the bufinefs of handicraft manufa6lures in Pennfylvania.

f The manufafture of malt liquors and fruit and corn fpirits
might be the means of preventing the importation of rum, bran-
dy, g'n, &c. which muft amount to two millions of dollars per an-
num taking in all our ports.

workmen, and they fupply the force of bands to a
great extent without taking our people from agri-
culture. By wind and water machines we can
make pig and bar iron, nail rods, tire, iheet-iron,
Iheet-copper, (heet-brafs, anchors, meal of all kinds,
gun-powder, writing, printing and hanging paper,
fnufF, linfeed oil, boards, plank and fcantling* ; and
they affift us in finifhing fcythes, fickles and woolen
cloths. Strange as it may appear they alfo card,
fpin and even weave, it is faid, by water in the Eu-
ropean fa8:ories» Bleaching and tanningt mud
not be omitted, while we are fpeaking of the ufe-
fulnefs of water.

By fire we condu6l our breweries, diftilleries,
fait and potafh works, fugar houfes, potteries, caft-
ing and Reel furnaces, works for animal and veget-
able oils and refining drugsj. Steam mills have
not yet been adopted in America, but we Ihall pro-
bably fee them after a fhort time in places, where
there are few mill feats and in this and other great
towns of the United States. The city of PhiladeU

* One mill of Ramfey's (the improvement on Barker's) ceaj-
Philadelphia, grinds by water, chocolate, flour, fnuff, hair-powder,
and muftard, and fhells chocolate nuts; alfo prefTes and cuts tobac-
co for chewing and fmokcing, and boults meal.

t The leather branch in Great-Britain is eftimated at eleven
millions of pounds fterling, or more than a fifth of all their ftaplc
manufaAures, and we eat more m.eat than they, and have the
command of much more deer-fklns.

t The American improvements in fleam have been brought far-
ward fmce this publication.

phia, by adopting the ufe of them, might make &
great laving on all the grain brought hither by
water, which is afterwards manufaftured into meal,
and they might be ufefully applied to many other
valuable purpofes.

Horfes give us, in fome inftances, a relief from
the difficulties we are endeavouring to obviate.
They grind the tanners bark and potters clay; they
work the brewers and diftillers pumps, and might
be applied, by an inventive mind, as the moving
principle of many kinds of mills*.

Machines ingenioufly conftru6led, will give us
immenfe affiftance. — The cotton and filk manufac-
turers in Europe are pofl'efl'ed of fome, that are in-
valuable to them. Several inftances have been af-
certained, in which a few hundreds of women and
children perform the work of thoufands of card-
ers, fpinners and winders. In fhort, combinations
of machines with fire and water have already ac-
compliflied much more than was formerly expelled
from them by the moft vifionary enthufiaft on the
fubjeB. Perhaps I may be too fanguine, but they
appear to me fraught with immenfe advantages to
.us, and not a little dangerous to the manufa6turing
nations of Europe ; for fliould they continue to ufe
and improve them, as they have heretofore done,
their people may be driven to us for want of em-
ployment, and if, on the other hand, they fliouId

* V/e might cut ftone and marble by horfe and rufaier mills. In
Italy the lafisr is the mode.

return to manual labour, we tnay underwork them
by thefe invaluable engines. We may certainly
borrow fome of their inventions*, and others of the
fame nature we may Rrike out ourfelves ; for on the
fubjeQ of mechanifm America may juQly pride her-
felf. Every combination of machinery may be ex-
pe6led from a country, a native son of which,
reaching this ineftimable obje8: at its higheft point,
has epitomized the motions of the fpheres, that
roll throughout the univerfet.

The lovers of mankind, fupported by experienc-
ed phyficians, and the opinions of enlightened poli-
ticians, have objeQed to manufaBures as unfavour-
able to the health of the people. Giving to this
humane and important confideration its full weighty
it furnifhes an equal argument againfl feveral other
occupations, by which we obtain our comforts and
promote our agriculture. The painting bufinefs
for inftance — reclaiming marfhes— clearing fwamps
— the culture of rice and indigo and fome other
employments, are even more fatal to thofe, who are
engaged, in them. But this objection is urged
principally againft carding, Ipinning and weaving,
v^'Wxch formerly vjcre entirely manual and fedentary
occupations. Our plan, as we have already (hewn,
is not to purlue thole modes unlefs in cales parti-

* 1790. We have fince obtained the mill for fpinning fiax,
hemp and wool.

f David Rlttenhoufc, of Pennfylvania,

cularl/ eircumflanced, for we ar€ fenfible that our
people muft not be diverted from their farms.

HorfeSy and the potent elements of fire and water y aid-
ed by the faculties of the human mind^ are to be in
many infiances, our daily labourers*. After giving
immediate relief to the induftrious poor, thefe ur^-
hurtful means will be pnrfued and will procure us
private wealth and national profperity.

Emigration from Europe m)ill alfo ajpjl us. The
bleffings of civil and religious liberty in America,
and the opprefiTions of moft foreign governments,
the want of employment at home and the expe6la-
tions of profit here, curiofity, domeftic unhappi-
nefs, civil wars and various other circumftance§
will bring many manufacturers to this afylum for
mankind. Gurs will be their induftry, and, what is
of ftill more confequence, ours will be their (kill.
Intereft and neceflity, with fuch inftruftors, will
teach us quickly. In the laft century the manu*
fadures of France were next to none ; they are
now worth millions to her yearly. Thofe of Eng.^
land have been more improved within the laft
twelve years, than in the preceding fifty. At
the peace of 1762, the ufeful arts and manufaftures
were fcarcely known in America. How great has
been their progrefs fince, unaided, undire6led and
difcouraged. Countenanced by your patronage
and promoted by your affiflance, what may they
not be 'ere fuch another fpace of time fhall elaple ?

* So far as we depend on our ovm refources.

Wonderful as it muft appear, the manufaQurers
of beer, that beft of all our commodities, have late-
ly been obliged to import mak from England.
Here muft be tnexcafable negfe^t, or a ftrange blind-
riefs to our moft obvious intereRs. The cultiva-
tion of barley fhould certainly be more attended to,
and if I miftake not exceedingly, the prefent abun-
dant crop of wh-eat* will fo Ml our markets, that
the farmer, who fliall reap barley the enfuing year,
will find it the moft profitable of all the grains.
We cannot, however, have any permanent diffi-
culty on this articlet.

Of flax and hemp little need be faid, but that we
can encreafe them as we pleafe, which -vve fhall do
according to the demand.

Wool muft became much more abundant, as our
country populates. Mutton is the beft meat for
cities, manufaftories, feminaries of learning, and
poor houfes, and fhould be given by rule as in
England. The fettlement of our new lands, re-
mote from water carriage, muft introduce much
more pafturage and graizing, than has been here-
tofore necellary, as ftieep, horfes and horned
cattle will carry themfelves to market through
roads impaftable by waggons. The foreign re-

* The price of flour had fallen in December, 1788, to 30/! per
barrel. The French demand then took pigice and raifed it oxt a
medium fince to 38/I and 40/I and often more.

f The importation of mait has ceafed, and ihe htcv!trM ai«
greatly encreafe d. A. D. 1793,

ftriBions on our trade will alfo tend to encreafc
the number of fheep. Horfes and horned cattlq
ufed to form a great part of the New-England car-
goes for the Englifli Weil-India iflands. Thefe
animals are exp(;rted to thofe places now in fmaller
numbers, as our yeffcls are excluded from their
ports. — The farms, capital and men, which were
formerly employed in raifing them, will want a mar-
ket for their ufual quantity, and the nature of that
country being unfit for grain, Ihecp muft occupy
a great proportion of their lands.

Cotton thrives as well in the fouthern ftates, as iii
any part of the world. The WeftTndia iflands and
thofe flates raifed it formerly, when the price wa$
not half what it has been for years pad in Europe*.
It is alfo worth double the money in America,
^vhich it fold for before the revolution, all the JEu-
ropean nations having prohibited the exportation
of it from their refpettive colonies to any foreign
countryt. It is much to be defired, that the fouth-
ern planters would adopt the cultivation of an arti-'
cle from which the bed informed manufaQurers
calculate the greateft profits, and on which fome.
eftablifhed factories depend.

* A. D. 1787.

f There was a long and great mercantile fpeculation that had
a great artificial effeft. But this bubble being broken by the in-
creafe of cotton from their iflands, and the importations from Su_
rat, Bombay, &c. the price is now much reduced. It is fup-
pofed to be now in America about 25 per cent, higher than in the
five years preceding the revolution war. We have imported cotton
into America fince this publicationfrom Bombay and Mauritius.

Silk has long been a profitable produciion of
Georgia and other parts of the United States, and
jnay be encreafed, it is prefamed, as faft as the de-
mand will rife. This is the Itrongefl of all raw ma-
terials and the great empire of China, though a-
bounding with cotton, finds it the cheapell cloath-
ing for her people*.

Iron we have in great abundance, and a fuffici-
ency of lead and copper, were labour low enough
to extraO: them from the bowels of the earth.

Madder has fcarcely been attempted, but this
and many other dye (luffs may be cultivated to ad-
vantage, or found in America.

Under all the difadvantages which have attend-
ed manufactures and the ufeful arts, it muft afford
the moft comfortable refleftion to every patriotic
mind, to obferve their progrefs in the United States
and particularly in Pennfylvania. For a long time
after our forefathers fought an eftablifliment in this
place, then a dreary wildernefs, every thing necef-

* A. D. 1789. Forty-three chefts of this article were imported
from China in the lafl fhlps and re-fliipped to Europe advantage-
cufly. We have a large nurfery of the white Italian mulberry efla-
blifiiedhere this fummer. Within ourfelves little can be expeded,
but the idea of the nurfery has been encouraged upon this princi-
ple that it prepares things for an emigration from a filk country.
This perhaps is refining, but the expence is imail — the trees are
wanted to replace thofe deftroyed by the Britifii army — and the
meafure falls in with our plan tofo/Ier and encourage, but net to force
manufadures.

fary for their fimple wants was the work of Euro-
pean hands. How great — how happy is the change.
The lift of articles we now make ourfelves, if par-*
ticularly enumerated would fatigue the ear, and
wafte your valuable time. Permit me however to
mention them under their general heads: meal of
all kinds, fhips and boats, malt liquors, diftilJed
fpirits, pot-afh, gun-powder, cordage, loaf-fugar,
pafteboard, cards and paper of every kind, books
in various languages, fnuff, tobacco, ftarch, can-
non, mufquets, anchors, nails and very many other
articles of iron, bricks, tiles, potters ware, mill-
ftones and other ftone work, cabinet work, trunks
and V/indfor chairs, carriages and harnelis of aH
kinds, corn fans, ploughs and many other impfe-
ments of hufbandry, fadlery and whips, (hoes and
boots, leather of various kinds, hofiery, hats and
gloves, wearing apparel, coarfe linens and woolens,
and fome cotton goods, linfeed and fifh oil, wares
of gold, filver, tin, pewter, lead, brafs and copper^
clocks and watches, wool and cotton cards, print-
ing types, glal's and ftone ware, candles, foap, and
fcveral other valuable articles with which the me-
mory cannot furnifti us at once.

If the nations of Europe poffefs fome great ad-
vantages over us in manufaQuring for the reft of
the world, it is however clear, that there are iome
capital circumftances in our favour, when they
meet us in our own markets. The expences of im-
porting raw materials, which in fome inftances they
labour under, while we do not — the fame charges

in bringing their commodities hither — the duties
we mufl: lay on their goods for the purpofes of re-
venue—the additional duties, which we may ven-
ture to impofe without rifquing the corruption of
morals or the lofs of the revenue by fmuggling — the
prompt payment our workmen receive— the long
credits they give on their goods — the fale of our
articles by the piece to the confumer, while they
fell theirs by great invoices to intermediate pur-
chafers — the durable nature of fome American
manufaQures, efpecially of Hnens^-the injuries
theirs often fuftain from their mode of bleach-
ing— thefe things taken together will give us an
advantage of twenty-five to fifty per cent, on ma-
ny articles, and muft work the total cxclufion of
feveral others.

Befides the difference ifl the qualities of Ameri-
can and European linens, arifing from the mode of
bleaching, there is a very confiderable faving of
expence from the fame caufe. So much and fo
powerful a funfliine faves a great lofs of time and
expence of bleaching fluffs and preparations, and
this will be fenfibly felt in our manufaQures' of
linen and cotton.

W^ muft carefully examine the conduQ; of other
countries in order to poffefs ourfelves of their
methods of encouraging manufactories and purfue
fuch of them, as apply to our fituation, fo far as it
maybe in our power — exempting raw materials, dye
ftuffs, and certain implements for manufafturing

from duty on importation is a very proper' niea J'
fure. Premiums for ufeful inventions and improve-*
ments, whether foreign or Americari, forthe b'eft
experiments in any unknown matter, and fpr the
largeft quantity of any valuable raw material mud
have an excellent effeQ. They ■w,QuI^'-^;afli| the
efforts of induOry, and hold out the noble incen-
tive of honourable diftin61ion to merit andge^mas.
The ftate might with great convenience enaBle^an
enlightened fociety, eftabliflied, for itie purpofej, V^to
offer liberal rewards in land for a nurnber ot ob-
jefts of this nature. Our funds of that kind are
confiderable and almofl dormant. Ah unfettled
tra6l of a th ou fa nd acres, as "it may be pa
this time, yields little money to the ftate. By of-
fering thefe premiums for ufeful inventions to a|iy
citizen of the union, or to any foreigner, who would
become a citizen, we might often acquire in the
man a compenfation for the land, independently of
the merit which gave it to him. If he fhould be
induced to fettle among us with a family and pro-
perty, it would be of more con fequenctitb the^Mte
than allt^e purchafe money. .D^;Ui>JGo

It might anfwer an ufeful purpofe^ if^aXrcniimittee
of this fociety fhoutd have it in cha¥ge-tdQ^ifi%'ibvt-
ry fhip arriving with paffengers from any foreign
country, in order to enquire what perlons ihey may
have on board capable of conilruBing ufeiul ma-
chines, qualified to carry on manufacture , or com-
ing among us with a view to that kind of employ-
ment. It. would be a great relief and encuuraj^e-

ttient to thofe friendlefs people in a land of Hrang*
ers, and would fix many among us whoni little dif-
ficulties might incline to return*.

Extreme poverty and idlenefs in the citizens of
a free government will ever produce vicious habits
and difobedience to the laws, and muft render the
people fit inftruments for the dangerous purpofes
of ambitious men. In this light the employment,
in manufactures, of fuch of our poor, as cannot
find other honeft means of fubflftence, is of the
utmoji confequence. A man oppreffed by extreme
want is prepared for all evil, and the idler is ever
prone to wickednefs; while the habits of indullry,
filling the mind with honeft thoughts, and requiring
the time for better purpofes, do not leave leifurc
for meditating or executing mifchief.

t An extravagant and wafteful ufe of foreign
manufaBures, has been too juft a charge againll
the people of America, fince the clofe of the war.
They have been fo cheap, fo plenty and fo eafily
obtained on credit, that the confumption of them
has been abfolutely wanton. To fuch an exccfs has
it been carried, that the importation of the finer
kinds of coat, veft and fleeve buttons, buckles,

* There are many focleties in Philadelphia, New-York, &c. for
the patronage of emigrators from foreign countries,

f In this particular there has been a meritorious reform, amply
compenfating every good citizen for the exertions he may hav'-
made to prom.ote manufadures.

broaches, bread-pins, and other trinkets into this
port only, is fuppofed to have amounted in a fingle
year to ten thoufand pounds fterling, which cofl
wearers above 60,000 dollars. This lamentable
evil has fuggefted to many enlightened minds a
wifli for fumptuary regulations, and even for an un-
changing national drefs fuitable to the climate, and
the other circumftances of the country. A more
general ufe of fuch manufaftures as we can make
ourfelves, would wean us from the folly we have
juft now fpoken of, and would produce, in a lefs
exceptionable way, fome of the beft effects of fump-
tuary laws. Our dreffes, furniture and carriages
would be fafhionable, becaufe they were American
and proper in our fituation, not becaufe they were
foreign, fliewy or expenfive. Our farmers, to
their great honour and advantage, have been long
in the excellent economical pra6lice of domeflic
manufaftures for their own ufe, at leaft in many
parts of the union. It is chiefly in the towns that
this madnefs for foreign finery rages and de-
ftroys — There unfortunately the diforder is epide-
mical. It behoves us to confider our untimely
paflion for European luxuries as a malignant and
alarming fympton, threatening convulfions and dif-
folution to the political body. Let us haiten then
to apply the moft effectual remedies, ere the dif-
eafe becomes inveterate, left unhappily we fhould
find it incurable.

I cannot conclude this addrefs, gentlemen, with-
out taking notice of the very favour able and pro di^

gious effe^s upon the landed inter ejl^ which may rc-
fult from manufaftures. The breweries of Phila-
delphia, in their prefent infant (late, require forty
thoufand bulhels of barley annually, and when the
flock on hand of Englifti beer (hall be confumed,
will call for a much larger quantity*. Could the
ufe of malt liquors be more generally introduced,
it would be, for many reafons, a mod: fortunate
circumftance. Without infilling on the pernicious
effe6ls of diftilled fpirits, it is fufPicient for our pre-
fent purpofe to obferve, that a thoufand hoglheads
of rum and brandyt, mixt with water for common
ufe, will make as much ftrong drink as will require
one hundred and twenty thoufand bufhelsof grain
to make an equivalent quantity of beer, befides the
horfes, fuel, hops, and other articles of the coun-
try, which a brewery employs. The fruits of the
earth and the produ6lions of nature in America are
alfo required by various other manufacturers, whom
you will remember without enumeration. But it
is not in their occupations only, that thefe valuable
citizens dem.and our native commodities. They
and their brethren, who work in foreign articles,
with their wives, children and fervants, neceffarily
confume in food and raiment a prodigious quantity
of our produce, and the buildings for the accom-
modation of their families and bufinefs are princi-

* This prefumption has been fully realized. We have befides,
a veiy lively export trade in malt liquors and if we had a fuffiei-
ency of black beer bottles, it mufl become very great.

\ Worth about ^^.20,000, and our imports of ardent fpirits ar^
^Illmated at ten times that fum in the port of Philadelphia pqly.

552

pally drawn from our lands. Their efFetls upon
agriculture are of more cbnfeqnence than has ever
been fuppofed by thofe, who have not made the ne-
ceffary eflimates. So great are the benefits -tt) the
landed interefl, which are derived from thtjm, that
I venture to affert without apprehenfion of miftake,
that the value of American prqduBions annually
applied to their various qfes as above ftated, with-r
out including the manufacturers of flour, lumber
and bar-iron, js double the aggregate amount of all
our exports in the mod plentiful year wi|.h wbich
Providence has ever blefied this fruitful xcmrttry.i
How valuable is this market for our encreafing pro-
duce— How clearly does it evince the importance
of our prefent plan. But we may venture to pro-
ceed a ftep further— Without manufaftures the pro-
grefs of agriculture would be arrefted on the fron-
tiers of Pennfylvania^. Though we have a coun-
try pra61icable for roads, fome of our weftcrn
counties are yet unable to fupport them, and top
remote perhaps to ufe land carriage of the moft
eafy kind. Providence has given them, in certain
profpeB, a paflage by water; but the natural im-
pediments, though very inconfiderable, and the
more cruel obftruQions arifing from political cir-
cumftances, are yet to be removed. The inhabi-
tants of the fertile tra61s adjacent to the waters of

* Manufacturing eflablifhments on the banks of Sufquehaunah
are of Xatutmojl confequence to our weftern and mid-land counties.
It is fuppofed that the manufafture of diililled fpirits in the coun-
try on the waters of the Ohio around Pittfourg, has occafioned, a
furplus to be fent down that river of ico,ooo gallons.

the Ohio, Patowmac and Sufquehannah, befides the
Gultivation of grain, muft extend their views im-
mediately to pafturage and grazing and even to
Hianufaftures. Foreign trade will not foon take
off the fruits of their labour in their native Jlate.
They muft manufafture firft for their own confump-
tion, and when the advantages of their mighty wa-
ters (hall be no longer fufpended, they muft become
the greateft faQory of American raw materials for
the United States. Their refources in wood and
water are very great, as are their mines of coal.
As they do not fell much grain, but for home con-
sumption and muftpropagate fheep and cattle for
the reafons above ftated, their country will in a
fliort time be the cheapeft upon earth.

How numerous and important then, do the be-
nefits appear, which may be expelled from this fa-
lutary defign ! It will confume our native produc-
tions now encreafing to fuperabundance — it will
improve our agriculture, and teach us to explore
th6 foftil and vegetable kingdoms, into which few
refearches have heretofore been made — it will ac-
celerate the improvement of our internal naviga-
tion and bring into a6lion the dormant powers of
nature and the elements — it will lead us once more
into the paths of public virtue by reftoring frugali-
ty and iriduftry, thofe potent antidotes to the vices
of mankind; and will gave us real independence
by refcuing us from the tyranny of foreign fafhions,
and the deftru6live torrent of luxury*.

* There is one peculiar means of advancement in the United
States of the mod ilriking and ferious importance, as it regards ma-

Should thefe blefTed confequences enfae tboTe
fevere reftriQions of the European nations, which
have already impelled us to vilit the moll dillant
regions of the eaftern henr^ifphere, defeating the
fchenies of fhort-fighted politicians, will prove,
through the v;ifdom and goodnejs of Providence,
ihe; means of our POLITICAL SALVATION,

Opinions had prevailed in America, that manu-
faQuring employments were injurious to the beft
interefts of the country, that the purfuit of agricul-
ture fhould occupy all our citizens, and that labour
was fo dear as to preclude all chances of fuccefs.
Yet it was obferved that many emigrators, and
others in the manufafturing branches, had aQually
fucceeded, and it was manifefl that the civil and

nufacSurcs. Being an unimproved country, we have the ineftima-
ble advantage of importing ilvillful cultivators of raw materials and^
tnanufnilures from nations, which are more advanced than we are,
together with their capital and their f]<ill. We can have no doubt of
the fulfilling of tliis expedation, for every town and county of the
middle and fouthern ftates, and many of thofe in the eaftern ftates
abound with proofs, that the hope has been already realized in nu-
merous inftances. But were thefe proofs wanting there could be
Ko doubt that ftrangers of every defcription will refort to a country
fo fit for their reception — fo pregnant with the means of human
jiappiiiefs.

relgious freedom of the country, and the low price
of food, of fuel and of raw materials would conti-
nue to attraQ perfons of that def'cription. Further
inveftigation and refleQion threw new and pleafing
lights upon the fubje^t. It was perceived, that
children, too young for labour, could be kept from
idlenefs and rambling, and of courfe from early
temptations, to vice, by placing them for a time
in manufaclories, and that the means of their pa-
rents to clothe, feed and educate them could be
thereby increafcd ; that women, valetudinarians
and old men could be employed ; that the portions
of time of houfewives and young women, which
were not occupied in family affairs, could be pro-
fitably filled up, that machinery, horfes, fire, water
and various procefTes requiring only fome incipi-
ent labour, were the principal means of manufac-
turing in Britain, that manufa6lures, inftead of im-
peding agriculture in that country, are aclually its
greateft and mod certan fupport, and that, in truth,
ihey are indij'penfihly necejfary to tke profpcrity of
Hs landed interejl. It has been afcertained on fur-
ther examination, that wages in feveral parts of
the United States are not higher than in parts of
Britain, as had been erroneoufly fuppofed, efpeci-
ally taking into confideration the prices of provi-
(ions and the fame degree of comfortable living.
It was therefore confidently expelled by many, Vv'ho
carefully examined the fubje6t, that great advan-
tages would refult from a rational, and fteady courfe
of attention, private and public, to the advance-
ment of manufactures. It will appear in the fequcl.

that the prudent exertions, which have been incef*
fantly made have been crowned accordingly with
abundant fuccefs, confidering the (hortnefs of the
time and how many other matters of great impor-
tance have called for attention, induftry and capi-
tal in the United States.

B1
-i ami is^i^ IS ii;Ar-^-5rT: E R IV.

•A SUMMARY VIEW OF THE STATP- OF PENNSYLVANIA, INTEND-
ED TO EXHIBIT TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE POPULATED
DISTRICTS OF THE OTHER STATES, AND TO FOR.EIGNERS
THE REAL, AND GREAT ADVANTAGES TO BE OBTAINED BY
TRADE, MANUFACTURES AND PURCHASES OF ESTATES THERE-
11^, AND BY MIGRATION THITHER4

THE judicious and temperate proceedings of
the American people in the reform of their
national conftitution in 1787, 1788, and 1789, the
magnanimous refolution to impofc upon themjdves
the wholefome rejlraints of a jujl government, which
they exhibited to each other and to mankind^ the
moderation and impartiality of their deportment to
foreign nations under their new government, and
their early attention to the reltoration of public
credit at home and abroad were folloM'ed by the
mod beneficial confequences in the beginning o^
1790. The little efl'ay, which enters into the com-
polition of this chapter, was publifhed about the
middle of that year in order to remind the people
of the date of Pennfylvania, in which it was writ-
ten, of their profpeQs of future comfort, and to
facilitate the anfwers to numerous enquiries, which
were beginning to be made concerning that Itate
by perlons of various defcriptions in other coun-
tries. It was fincerely intended to be an unexag-
gerated ftatement of the principal fa^ta on which

depend the comforts and profperity of the inhabi-
tants of that part of the American union.

Notes on the Jlate of Pennfylvania,

THE ftate of Pennfylvania is an oblong, of
about one hundred and fifty-fix miles wide from
north to fouth, by about two hundred and ninety
miles in length from eaft to. weft. On the eaft of
it lies the Delaware river, dividing it from Weft-
Jerfey and New-York; on the north New-York,
and a territory of about two hundred tboufand
acres on lake Erie, which Pennfylvania purchafed
of Congrefs. On the north weft lies lake Erie,
on which it has aconfiderable front and a good port,
lying within the purchafe from Congrefs, on the
weft are the new lands called the weftern; territory,
and a part of Virginia : On the. fouth lie another
part of Virginia, Maryland, and the ftate of Dela-
ware. The contents of Pennfylvania are. about
twenty-nine millions of acres, including the lake
Erie territory. It lies between 39^ 43" and 43^
of north latitude. The bay and river of Delaware
are navigable from the fea up to the great falls at
Trenton, and have a light-houfe, buoys, and piers,
for the direftion and fafety of fhips. On this
river are the fmall towns of Chefter and Briftol,
and the city of Philadelphia, which is the capital
of the ftate, and by much the largeft and moft
populous fea-port and manufa6luring town m the
United States. The diftance of this city from
the fea is about fixty miles acrofs the land to the
New-Jerfey coaft, and one hundred and twenty

miles by the fliip-channel of the Delaware. A fe-
venty gun fhip may lie before the town, and at ma-
ny of the wharves, which occupy the whole eaft
front of the city for near two miles, affording every
veffel an opportunity of unlading and lading without
the expenfe of lighterage. Rafts of mafts, timber,
boards, hoops and ftaves, with other articles upon
them, can be brought down the Delaware from the
counties of Montgomery and Otfego, in New-
York, two hundred miles above the city, by the
courfe of the river. Some money was expended
by the government and landholders in improving
the navigation up towards the fource, before the
revolution ; and there has been a furvey lately
begun, for the purpofeof proceeding in the im-
provement of this and other principal rivers of
Pennlylvania, and for making communications by
canals in the improved part, and by roads in the
unimproved part of the ftate. The Penniylvani-
ans are much inclined to fuch enterprifes, having
found great benefit from them. On the comple-
tion of the prefentplan, the ftate will be more con-
veniently interffeded by roads than any other of its
fize in the union, which will greatly facilitate the
fettlement of its new lands. A flight view of the
map of Pennfylvania, by Howell, that in Mr. Jef-
ferfon's notes on Virginia, or that in Morfe's geo-
graphy, will fhew how advantageoufly this ftate is
watered by the Delaware and its branches, the
Schuylkill, the Juniata, the Sufquehanna and its
branches, the Ohio, Allegeny, Youghiogeny, and
Monongahela. The Patowmac and lake Erie alfo

afford profpeQs of confiderable benefit from 'tlieir
navigation. Nature has done much for Pennfylva-
nia in regard to inland water carriage, which is
ftrikingly exemplified by this faft, that although^
Philadelphia and lake Erie are diltant from each
other above three hundred miles, there is no doubt
that the rivers of the ftate may be fo improved, as to
reduce the land carriage between them nine tenths^
In the fame way the navigation to Pittfburg, after -
due improvement, may be ufed inftead of land car-
riage for the whole diftance, except twenty or thir-
ty miles^ — By thefe routes it is clear, t-liat a large
proportion of the foreign articles, uled on the weft- '
ern waters, will be tranfported; and that their furs,
flcins, ginfeng, hemp, flax, pot-'afh, and other valu-
able commodities, may be brought to Philadelphia. ^
The hemp and oaik timber for the Ruffian navy is '
tranfported by inland navigation one thoufand two
hundred miles: and yet hemp is fhipped from tfiat^
kingdom on lower terms than from any other parl^^
of the world, kuffia, for fome time after the fettle- ■
inent of Pennfylvania by civilized and enlightened
people, was in a fi:ate of abfolute barbarifm, and
deftitute of thefe improvements. Much therefore
is to be expefted from the continued exertions or
the prudent, induftrious and intelligent inhabitants
of Pennfylvania, in the courfe of the prefent cen-
tury*.

* In the laft three years more public funds and private capital
have been applied to the improvement of roads and rivers and the
cutting of canals than in all the time between the year 1790 and the
firft fettlement of the flate. A. D. 1793.

Gonfiderable bodies of new lands in this ftate re-
niain for fale by individuals. Purchafes can be al-
ways made, partly or wholly on credit, from thofe
perfons, who take mortgages on the lands they fell
to emigrants, and indulge them fometimes with a
very eafy credit. The Pennfylvanians having no
difputes with the Indians about boundaries. All
the lands within the ftate having been purchafed at
a fair and open treaty, and there being fome fettle-
ments weftward of Pennfylvania on the new lands of
jCongrefs, we have little apprehenfions from the In-
dians any where; and in moft of our new country
there is no danger at all.

Improved lands, in the old counties of this ftate,
fell generally at a certain fum for a farm, including
ihe buildings. This, before the war, was, in moft:
of the thick fettled counties within a day's ride of
Philadelphia, from four pounds ten fliiliings fter-
Jing, to thirty fiiillings per acre, and lefs, according
to the quality, unlefs in fituations very near the
city or fome town, or in cafes of very valuable build-
ings, mills, tayerns, or fituations for country trade*
In one or two counties, remarkable for therichnef^
of the lands, they (old higher, fometimes confide-t
rably. Farms can be purchafed upon terms as fa-
vourable as then, owing to the quantity of new lands
for fale in this and feveral other ftates; and owing
to the many new and profitable ufes for money,
which did not exift before the revolution.

The produce, manufaBures, and exports of Penn-
fylvania are very many and various, viz. wheat.

flour, midlings, ftiip-ftufF, bran, fhorts, fhip-bread,
"white water bifcuit, rye, rye flour, Indian corn,
or maize, Indian meal, buckwheat, buckwheat
meal, bar and pig iron, fteel, nail rods, nails, iron
hoops, rolled iron tire, gun-powder*, cannon ball,
iron cannon, muTquets, fliips, boats, oars, hand-
fpikes, mafts, fpars, fliip-timber, fliip-blocks, cord-
age, fquare timber, fcantling, plank, boards, ftaves,
heading, fliingles, wooden hoops, tanners' bark,
corn fans, coopers' ware, bricks, coarfe earth*
en or potter' ware, a very little flone-ware, glue,
parchment, flioes, boots, foal-leather, upper lea-
ther, drefl'ed deer and flieep fkins, and gloves
and garments thereof, fine hats, many common,
and a few coarfe; thread, cotton, worfted, and yarn
hofiery; writing, wrapping, blotting, flieathing and
hanging paper; fl;ationary, playing cards, pallc-
boards, books ; wares of brafs, pewter, lead, tin^
plate, copper, filver and gold; clocks and watches,
mufical inflruments, fnufip, manufactured tobacco,
chocolate, muflard-feed and muftard, flaxfeed, flax-
feed oil, flax, hemp, wool, wool and cotton cards,
pickled beef, pork, ftiad, herrings, tongues and
fl:urgeon, hams and other bacon, tallow, hogs' lard,
butter, cheefe, candles, foap, bees-wax, loaf-fugar,
pot and pearl aflies, rum and other ftrong waters,
beer, porter, hops, winter and fummer barley, oat«,
fpelts, onions, potatoes, turnips, cabbages, carrots,

* It is faid there are at this time near 50,000 quarter cafks of
gun-powder in the Philadelphia magazine, manufadlured in the
ftatc of Pennfylvani?. — ^A. D. 1793.

1^ es

parrnips, red and white clover, timothy, and moft;
European vegetables and graffes, apples, peaches,
plumbs, pears, and apricots, grapes, both native and
imported, and other European fruits, working and
pleafurable carriages, horfes, horned cattle, fheep,
hogs, wood for cabinet makers, lime-ftone, coal,
frce-ftonic and marble.

Some of thefe produBions are fine, fome indif-
ferent. Some of lIic manuEa6iures are confidera-
ble, for a young country, cireumftanced as this lias
been; fome inconfiderable: but they are enume-
rated, to fhew the general nature of the ftate, and
the various purfuits of the inhabitants. In addi-
tion to them we may mention, that a lead-mine and
two or three falt-fprings have been difcovered in
our new country, which will, no doubt, be worked>
as foon as the demand for lead and fait to the weft-
ward increafes. We ought alfo to notice our great
forefts for making pot afhes, and glafs.

The manufaBurea of Pennfylvania have increa-
fed exceedingly within a few years, as well by maf-
ter-workmen and journeymen from abroad, as by
the increafed ikill and induftry of our own citizens.
Houfehold or family manufaBures have greatly
advanced; and valuable acquifitions have been
made of implements and machinery to fave labour,
either imported or invented in the United States,
The hand-machines, for carding and (pinning cot-
ton, have heen introduced by foreigners, and im-
proved, but we have obtained the water mill for

^-1

ipihning cotton, and a water mill for flax, wliicfe
is applicable alfo to fpinning hemp and wool.
Thefe machines promife us an early increafc
of the cotton, linen, and hempen branches, and
muft be of very great fervice in the woolen
branch. Additional employment for weavers, dy-
ers, bleachers, and other manufafturers muft be the
confequence. Paper-mills, gun-powder-mills, fteel
works, rolling and flitting mills, printing figured
goods of paper, linen, and even of cotton, coach
making, book printing, and feveral other branches,
are wonderfully advanced : and every month feems
to extend our old manufactures, or to introduce
new ones.

The advancement of the agriculture of Pennfyl-
venia is the befl proof that can be given of the
comfort and happinefs it affords to its farming, ma-
nufafturing, and trading citizens. In the year
1786, our exports of flour were one hundred and
and fifty thoufand barrels: in 1787, they were
two hundred and two thoufand barrels: in 1788,
they were two hundred and twenty thoufand bar-
rels : and in 1789 they were three hundred and
fixty-nine thoufand barrels : which exceed any ex-
ports ever made in the times of the province, or
in the times of the commonwealth*. The produce
of flax is increafed in a much greater degree : and
that of wool is confiderably more than it was before

* The exports of flour in the year 1792 from Philadelphia,
amounted to above 420,000 barrels, and in the f} ring quarter of
1793 it ey.cccdcd 200,000 barrels.

the revolution. A new article Is added to the lift
of our produftions, which is a well-tafted and
wholefome fugar, made of the maple tree. It haS
been proved, by many fair and careful experiments,
that it is in the power of a fubftantial farmer who
has a family about him, eafily to make twelve hun-
dred weight of this fugar every feafon, without
hiring any additional hands, or utenfils, but
thofe that are neceffary for his family and farm
«fe. The time, in which it can be made, is from
the middle of February to the end of March, when
farmers in this country have very little to do, as it
is too early to plough or dig. The price of fugar
being lower here than In Europe, this article may
be reckoned at one hundred and fifty dollars per
annum, to every careful and flcilful farmer, who
owns land bearing the fugar maple. Of thefe there
are fome millions of acres in Pennfylvania and
the adjacent ftates. It feems alfo highly probable,
that this valuable tree may be tranfplanted, and
thus be obtained by almoft any farmer in the ftate;
and that men of property, who will purchafe
kettles, and hire hands for the above Ihort peri-
od, may make larger quantities.

Tht: fituation of religion and religious rights and
liberty in Pennfylvania is a matter, that deferves
the utmoft attention of all fober and well-difpofed
people, who may have thoughts of this country.
This ftate always afforded an afylum to the perfe-
cuted fe6ls of Europe, and of the other dates in
former times. No church or fociety ever was efta-

bliflied here; no tythes or tenths can be demand-
ed : and though fome regulations of the crown of
Britain excluded two churches* from a ftiare in
our government, in the times of the province, that
is now done away with regard to every religi-
ous fociety whatever, except the Hebrew church.
But at this time a convention of fpecial reprefen-
tatives of the citizens of Pennfylvania have under
confideration all the errors which have inadvert-
ently crept into our conlHtution and frame of go-
vernment; and in the ad which they have publifli-
ed for the examination of the people, they have re-
jefted the half-way doftrine of toleration, and have
eftablifhed upon firm and perfedly equal ground,
all denominations of religious men. By the pro-
vifions of the new code, a Proteftant, a Roman
catholic, and a Hebrew, may ele6l or be elefted to
any office in the flate, and purfue any lawful call-
ing, occupation, or profefifiont. The conftitution
of general government of the United States alfo
guarantees this inePtimable and facred rights — and
it is iurely a facred right ; for it belongs to the
Deity to be worfliipped according to the free-will
and confciences of his creatures.

. We lay no difficulty in the way of any perfon,
who defires to become a free and equal citizen. On
the day of his landing, he may buy a farm, a houfe,
merchandife, or raw materials ; he may open a

'* The Roman and Hebrew.

f This code has been confirmed in Pennfylvania.

work-fhop, a counting-houfe, an oEce, or any
other place of bufinefs, and purfue his calling,
without any hindrance from corporation rules
or.monopolifing companies, or the payment of any
fum of money to the public. The right of elecl-
ing and being eleQed (which does not affect his
bufinefs or his lafety) is not granted till the expi-
ration of two years; which prudence requires.

A privilege, almoft peculiar to this Rate, has
been granted to foreigners by the legiflature of
Pennfylvania, that of buying and holding lands
and houfes within this commonwealth, without re-
linquiihing their allegiance to the country in v/hich
they were born. They can leafe, hire, fell or be-
queath the lands, receive the rents, and, in fhort,
have every territorial and pecuniary right, that
a natural-born Pennfylvanian has; but no civil
rights. As they profefs to owe allegiance to a fo-
reign prince or government, and refide in a foreign
country, where they, of courfe, have civil rights,
they cannot claim them, nor ought they to defire
them here : for if they choofe, at any time after
the purchafe to come out to this country, and make
themfelve citizens — or if they choofe to give their
eftates to their children or other perfons, who will
do fo, any of them may become citizens to all in-
tents and purpofes. This indulgence to purchafe
is granted for three years from January 1789;
and all lands bought by foreigners before January
31792, may be held forever on thofe terms. Whe-
ther a right to make purchafes upon thofe terms

will be allowed to foreigners, after that time, i^
uncertain, and will entirely depend upon the opi-
nion of our then legiflature, as to the fafety or
utility of it*.

Ufeful knowledge and fcience hav6 been favour-
ite objects of attention here. We have an univer-
fity, three colleges, and four or five public acade-
iTires, befides many private academies and free
fchools, in the city and feveral of the county-towns
of this ftate. Confiderable grants of monies, rent
charges and particularly of new lands, have been
made for this purpofe by our legiflature, and very
liberal private fubfcriptions have been added at
various times. Though our government and citi-
zens have been always attentive to the important
objeB: of ufeful and liberal knowledge, yet an
increafed regard for learning has been manifefted
fince the revolution. Rifing from a provincial to
an independent fituation, appears, and very natu-
rally, to have expanded our ideas, and to have
given an enhanced value to improvements of the
human mindt.

Among the natural advantages of Pennfylvania,
her almoft innumerable mill-feats ought not to be
omitted. They are conveniently diftributed by

* This law has been continued till the year 1 795, when it
may be renewed.

f Much has been done fmce 1790 in regard to fchbols,
A. D. 1793.

, 69

Providence throughout the ftate, and afford the
means of eftablifhing every fpecies of mill-work
and labour-faving machines, to meet the produce
and raw materials almoft at the farmers' doors. In
the prefent fituation of this country, wanting hands
for farming, and in the prefent ftate of manufac-
tures, when ingenious mechanifm is every day and
every where invented, to leflen the neceffity for
manual labour, this natural advantage muft appear
of ineftimable importance. Hemp and flax are
among the mod profitable productions of our rich
midland and new counties, the cream of which is
yet to be flcimmed. It is therefore a. mod plealing
fa6^, that we have in the ftate the fuU-fized and
complete movements or works of a water mill and
machinery, to fliver, rove, and fpin flax and hemp
into threads or yarns, fit for linen of thirty cuts to
the pound, or any other coarfer kind, fheetings,
towelling, fail-cloth, ozanbrigs, twine, and the
ftrands or yarn for cordage. The fame machinery
is calculated for the roving or preparing, and fpin-
ning combed wool into worfted yarn. We have
alfo the movements and complete machinery of
Sir Richard Arkwright's water-mill for fpinning
yarns of cotton. And though the climate of this
ftate is not fit for cultivating that raw material,
yet cotton can be raifed with profit in every ftate
in our union fouthward of Pennfylvania, and im-
ported from the Eaft and Weft-Indies.

It is certain, that this extraordinary capacity of
our country for mechanical works has either called

forth, in an unufiial degree, the mechanical powers
of the human mind, or that Providence has bellow-
ed upon the people of this and our filler Rates an
uncommon portion of that talent, which its nature
and fnuation require. Our Rittenhoufe and Frank-
lin (land unrivalled in mechanical philofophy : and
thofe, who know our country, are well informed,
that to thefe two great names we could add a con-
fiderable lift of philofophical and praQical mecha-
nicians, in a variety of branches.

So many of the neceffary and convenient arts and
trades depend upon the plenty and cheapneis of fuel,
that it appears proper to take notice of this article.
Till the revolution, our dependence was almoft
entirely upon wood fuel, of which, in the moft
populous places, we have ftill a great abundance*
and in all interior fituations immenfe quantities :
but the increafe of manufaftures has occafioned us
to turn our attention to coal. Of this ufeful foITil,
Providence has given us very great quantities, in
our middle and weftern country. The vicinity of
Wyoming, on the Sufquehanna, is one bed of coal,
of the open-burning kind, and of the moft intenfe
heat. On the head waters of Schuylkill and Lehi
are fome confiderable bodies. At the head of the
weftern branch of Sufquehanna is a moft extenfive
body, which ftretches over the country fouth-weft-
erly, fo as to be found in the greateft plenty at
Pittfburgh, where the Allegeny and Youghiogeny
unite, and form the head of the Ohio. It has
been lately diicovered on the waters of Nefcopeck,

All our coal has hitherto been accid^^ntly found
on the furface of the earth, or difcovered in the
digging of common cellars or wells: fo that when
our wood-fuel fhall become fcarce, and the Euro-
pean meihods of boring fhall be fkilfully purfued,
there can be no doubt of our finding it in many
other places. At prefent, the ballafting of fliips
from coal countries abroad, and the coal mines in
Virginia, which lie convenient to fhip-navigation,
occafion a good deal of coal to be brought
to the Philadelphia market. From this great
abundance and variety of fuel, it refults, that
Pennfylvania, and the United States in general,
are well fuited to all manufactories which are ef-
fefted by fire, fuch as furnaces, founderies, forges,
glafs-houfes, breweries, diflilleries, fteeiworks,
fmiths' (hops, and all other manufaftories in metal,
foap-boiling, chandlers' fliops, pot afh works, fu-
gar and other refineries, <S:c. &c.

Ship-building is a bufinefs in which the port of
Philadelphia exceeds moft parts of the world,
Mafts, fpars, timber, and plank, not only from our
own Rate and the other dates on the Delaw^are,
are conRantly for fale in our market : but the
mulberry of the Chefapeak, and the ever-
green or live oak, and red cedar of the Carolinas
and Georgia, are fo abundantly imported, that
nine-tenths of our vefl'els are built of them. No
vcfTels are better than thefe: and in proof of 4t,
Englifli writers of rank might be quoted, who have
publiihed for and againfl us. A live oak and ce-

dar fhip of two hundred tons, carpenter's meafurc-
rnent, can be fitted to lake in a cargo for fourteen
t)Ounds currency per ton* ; and there is not a port
in Europe, in which an oak fliip can be equally
well built and fitted for twenty pounds per ton in
our money, or twelve pounds flerling* This fa8:
may appear doubtful or extraordinary 5 but it is
certainly true; and it is greatly in favour of our
fhip carpenters and other tradefmen employed in
fitting and building fliips, as well as our merchants
and farmers, whofe intcrefls are fo much conneft^
ed with navigation*

The diftance of Philadelphia from the fea, has
been made an objeQion by fome, and the clofing
of our river by the ice, which happens almoft eve-
ry winter. Amfterdam, the greateft port in Eu-
rope, is inaccefiTible in the winter. But it is a fa61^
that, notwithftanding thefe objeBions, our vefTels
mdce as many Weft-India voyages as thofe of the
two other principal fea ports of the middle flates :
and though the river is frozen from three to nine
weeks almofl every winter, yet there are occafional
openings, which give opportunities for fleets of
merchantmen to go out and come in. The fine
corn and provifion country, which lies near Phila-
delphia, enables the merchants to load their veffels
in the winter : and the market is regularly fupplied
with flour, pork, beef, lumber, flaves, iron and
many other of our principal articles of exportation.

* A. D. 1790.

Little time is therefore loft: and we find that our
trade increafes. The crop of 1789, and other ex-
ports from the harvefl of that year to that of 1790,
it is fuppofed, will load one hundred and twenty
thoufand tons of (hipping. We have a very exten-
five back country ; and many large bodies of new
land, which iruft fend their produce to the Phila-
delphia market, are fettling faft. The population
of Pennfylvania, by the laft accounts taken, was
three hundred and fixty thoufand men, women and
children : but, as fome years have fince elapfed,
it is fuppofed it will not fall much fhort of four hun-
dred thoufand when the prefent enumeration fhall
be completed.*

No country in Europe has paid ofF fo much of
her public debt, fince the late general war, as this
Hate, notwithftanding the pad diforders and diffi-
culties of the United States, arifing from the weak-
nefs of our late general government, and the fhocks
of an invafive war. She has paid off and funk a fum
equal to her full fliare of the intereft and a confi-
derabie part of the principal of her (late and federal
debts. Yet fhe has laid no excife or internal duty,
but eight pence currency upon fpirituous liquors,
which has fince been repealed.

The inhabitants of Pennfylvania are principally
defcendents of Englifh, Irifh, and Germans^ with

• It proved to be 434,000 by the ccnfiis of 1791.

fome Scotch, Welfli, Swedes, and a few Dutch#
There are alio many of the Irifh and Germans, who
emigrated when young or in the middle time of life t
and there is a number of each of thofe two nations
now in legiflative, executive, and judicial ftations
among us. It has ever been the policy of our go-
vernment, before and fince the revolution, and the
difpofition of our people, to receive all fober emi-
grants with open arms, and to give them immedi-
ately the free exercife of their trades and occupa-
tions, and of their religion.*

Such is the prefent fituation of things in Penn-
lylvania, which is more or lefs the fame in feveral
other of the American ftates, viz. New- York,
Main, Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Vermont,
and Kentucky ; but though not fo in the reft, the prin-
cipal difference is, that they are fo fully peopled,
that there are no new lands of any value unfold;
and farming lands, which are improved, are of
courfe dearer than with us. In thofe ftates, how^
ever, agriculture, commerce, manufadures, the
fiflieries, and navigation, afford comfortable fub-
fiftence and ample rewards of profit to the induftri-
ous and well difpofed, amidft the bleffings of ci-
vil and religious liberty.

Before this paper fhall be concluded, it may be
ufeful to recapitulate the various productions and
exports of the United States, which are the furc

* Latterly there arc many French,

foundations of a grand fcene of agriculture — the
refources for an extenfive trade — and the materials
for a great variety of ufeful and elegant manufac-
tures. From our new country we have ginfeng,
and feveral kinds of flcins and furs ; in the fettled
parts of the Itates, rice, indigo, cotton, filk, tobac-
co, flaxfeed, wheat, rye, barley, oats, fpelts, Indian
corn, hemp, flax, wool, iron, lead, copper, coal,
freeftone, limeftone, marble, fulphur, faltpetre, a
great variety of (hip timber, fhip plank, mafts, fpars,
tar, pitch and turpentine, pork, beef, cider, fi(h oil,
fpermaceti, whalebone, driedfifh, pickled filh, hides,
leather, black cattle, (heep, cheefe, butter, tallow,
hops, muftard feed, ftaves, heading, fhingles,
boards, plank, fcantling, fquare timber, black wal-
nut, wild cherry and curled maple for cabinet
-wares, potafh, pearl afhes, potters clay, brick clay.
Sec, &:c. with apples, and all the other principal
fruits, and potatoes, and all the other principal
vegetables. During the late war, confiderable
quantities of fea-falt were manufaclured on our
coaft, as far north as New Jerfey : and this article
will no doubt one day become an obje8; of atten-
tion. * It may be fafely affirmed, that no European
nation whatfoever unites in its dominions, even in-
cluding diftant colonies, fuch a variety of import-
ant and capital productions j nor can there be any
doubt, in the mind of a candid and ferious obfer-
ver, that fuch a country muft rife with common
prudence, in agriculture, manufatlures and com-
merce, affording to every induftrious and virtuous

citizen, and emigrant, the certain means of com-
fortable fubfiftence, and the faireft prorpe6l of
eftabliihing a family in life.

THE progrefs of the (late of Pennfylvania iii
the great bufinels of agriculture, fince the return
of peace, is ftrikingly evinced by the increafed ex-
portation of flour between 1786 and 1792, which
being extraQed from the public records may be
relied on as accurately true. The extenfion of
the grain diftilleries and breweries, in thp fame
term, has been at leafl equally great : the deniand
of bread fbr the increafing manufacturers has been
enlarged in full proportion : fhip-building has
made a correfponding progrefs: and the opening of
roads through the new country, the improvements
of the old roads, the building of bridges, the clear-
ing of rivers, and the cutting of canals in the three
lafl years have exceeded the fimilar operations of
any other equal term, either before, during, or
fince the revolution, beyond all comparifon*".

* It has aftonlfhed thofe beft acquainted with the affairs of
Pennfylvania to find, that the exports from Philadelphia (the only-
port in that ftate) proved to be near feven millions of dollars dur-
ing the year ending on the 30th September, 1793. P°^ ^^^ parti-
culars fee the return of exports of the United States for that year^
in this volume.

CHAPTER V.

COKTAINIUG SOME lKF0RMATl014 RELATIVE TO MapLE SuGAfc,
AKD ITS POSSIBLE VALUE IN CEB.TAIM PARTS OF THE UNI-
TED States.

THE difpofition of the people of America to
examine and difcufsthe topics of the day, the
increafed intercourfe among the dates fince the late
war, and the difFufion of knowledge thro' the chan-
nels of their numerous gazettes naturally occafion
information, which ufed to be local, to be much
more generally extended. The eafy and profita-
ble pra6lice of making fugar from the fap or juice
of the maple tree, had prevailed for many years in
the nothern and eaftern ftates. The facility and
advantages of this pleafing branch of hufbandry,
had attracted little attention in Pennfylvania, tho'
a few of its inhabitants were in the habit of manu-
facturing fmall quantities of this kind of fugar. In
the year 1790, it became more generally known to
the Pennfylvanians, that their brethren in the eafl-
ern and nothern parts of the union, had long made
confiderable quantities, with their family utenfils,
and without the expenfe of hiring affiftance, that
the fame tree might be carefully tapped without
injury for many fucceffive years, that the procefs
was iimple and very cafy, and only required to be
carried on between the middle of February and
the end of March, when the farmer has little to

do, and that a very large proportion of the unfctt-
led tands of the ftate abound with this valuable tree.
The great and increafing diflike to negro flavery,
and to the African trade among the people of that
flate, occafioned this new profpeft of obtaining a
ftigar, not made by the unhappy blacks, to be par-
ticularly interefting to them. The following efti-
mate, which was founded on the befl; materials at-
tainable at that time, was publiflied among other
things to elucidate the fubjed.

An ejlimate of the capacity of fugar maple lands
of Pennjylvania and New York, to fupply th^
demand of the United States for fugar and mor
laffes*

THE DEMAND,

By authentic documents obtained from the cuf-
tom-houfe of Philadelphia, it appears

That the medium importation of brown
fugar, for each year, from 1785 to 178^
was ibs. 5,692,848

Of loaf fugar, on a medium 4>48q

And of molaffes — 543,900 gallons,
which at lolb. per gallon, is 5,439,000
lbs. half of which weight in fugar may
be confidered as equal to 543,900
gallons of molaffes 2,719,500

Total quantity of fugar required — lbs. 8,416,828

vfJfe'jS T^^ CAPACITY OF SUPPLY.

The information of William Cooper, Efquire, of
Coopers town,* is that there are ufually made from
a tree five pounds weight of fugar, and that there
are fifty trees on an acre at a medium, but fuppofe
only four pounds to be produced by a tree and forty
trees on an acre, then 52,605 acres will yield
8,416,828 lbs. and fuppofing the whole demand of
the union 42,084,140 lbs. or five times the importa-
tion into Philadelphia, then 263,000 acres will
yield a fupply for the United States. It need not
be obferved, that there are very many more than
263,000 acres of fugar maple lands in each of the
eight following counties,

Albany, "|

Montgomery, |

Otfego, V in New- York.

Tyoga, I

Ontario, J

Northampton,

Luzerne, )- in Pennfylvania.

Northumberlandj
Alfo that the fugar maple tree is found in many
other parts of thofe two ftates, and of the United
States.

It will be frankly admitted, that the refult of the
above eftimate has a wild and vifionary appear-
ance; but as it is made upon fafts, very carefully

* One of the judges of the court of common pleas in the coun-
ty of Otfego, and ftate oi New-Yoj^,

stfcertained, and as the whole calculation is expo-
fed to examination, it will not be unreafonable to
give fome faith to it, until exaggeration of fad or
error fliall be pointed out.
Philadelpha, 1790*.

* In the fpring of the year 1793, the foIlo\yIng letter was rcceir-
cd from judge Cooper, and feveral other perfons, who had emigrat-
ed from Pennfylvania, Ncw-Jerfey and France, into the prefent
county of Otfego (at the heads of the rivers Delaware and Sufque-
hanna) which is diftant from Philadelphia about 137 miles, and
from the city of New- York about 100 miles, in direft lines.

CooJ>efs To^jK, J/)Hl gth, i']g$»
Gentlemen,

Being convinced that you feel an intereft in the
manufadory of maple fugar, and that your wiihes and exertions to
prevent the deftrudion of the trees from whence it is produced,
have been of public utility — We are encouraged to tranfmit to you
the ftatement we have been able to make from adual obfervation
of the quantity of fugar, which has been made this feafon, in the
former townfhip of Otfego, and which was an entire wildernefs in
1786 — We find upon a moderate calculation, that there has been
made at j^aft one hundred and fixty thoufand pounds weight, which
at nine pence per pound is equal in value to 1 5000 dollars. This
plain demonftration of the importance of this article, will we hope,
induce you to continue your endeavours to promote and encourage
it, and we would fubmit to your confideration whether it is not an
objeft of fufficient confequence to claim the encouragement of the
leglflature of yourilate.

WILLIAM COOPER,
RICH. R. SMITH,
RENSSEL. WILLIAMS, jum
CHARLES FRANCIS,
LEWIS DE VILLERS,
EBBAL.
To Henry Drinker,
Benjamin Rush,
Tench Coxe, Philadelphia.

Since the publication of the foregoing calculad-*
on, it has been afcertained, that the balance of the
medium imports and exports of foreign fugar, (that
is the confumption of that article in the United
States) is about 20,000,000 of pounds weight per
annum. The quantity of molaffes, ufed in fub-
ftance (and exclufively of diftillation) probably
does not exceed 1,500,000 gallons, which may be
deemed equal to about half their weight in fugar^
or fix millions of pounds. The total fum of thefe,
being the whole confumption of fugar and molafTes
in fubftance, is 26,000,000 of pounds. It is certain
that every farmer having one hundred acres of fu-
gar maple land, in a ftate of ordinary American
improvement, (that is, one third covered with ju-
^jtiotis referves of wood and timber, and two thirds
^cleared for the culture of grafs and grain) can
^ake one thoufand pounds weight of fugar with
only his neceHary farming and kitchen utenfils, if
Ms family confills of a man, a. woman and a child of
ten years, including himfelf. It would therefore re-
quire the attention of 26,000 of (uch fmall families
occupying (at one hundred acres each) 2,600,000
acres of thofe lands to make (at i,ooolbs. each)
26,000,000 of pounds, or a quantity of fugar equal
to all the molafTes and fugar, annually confumedin
fubftance in the United States* The operation in
a family is as eafy, as to make houfhold foap or
cheefe, or to brew ale or beer, and as there is in
this country much more than twice the above quan*
L

lity of fugar maple lands, in fituations not too
fouthcrn, the only objeQ; that requires attention is
to givCy as fajl as pojjible, generality to thisjimple*
profitable, and comfortable manufaUure.

CHAPTER VI.

A CONCISE GENERAL VIEW OF THE UnITED StATES, FOR THB^
INFORMATION OF MIGRATORS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES,

CIRCUMSTANCES of the fame nature, as
thofe, which led to the notes on the ftate of
Pennfylvania, fuggefted the utility of a fimilar de-
tail concerning the United States ; which will be
found in this chapter. A difpofition to promote
general profperity and the wifdom of a reliance up-
on colleftive national advantages, in preference to
detached local interefts gave additional force to
thefe confiderations. However true the account
of Pennfylvania might be, it was well known that
fcenes, promifing great comfort and a rapid profpe-
rity, were to be found in other parts of this coun-
try. The dillrid of Maine, parts of New Hamp-
ihire, Vermont, the Genefee country and other
parts of the ftate of New- York, the wefternmoft
parts of Maryland, of Virginia, of the two Caroli-
nas and Georgia, with the ftate of Kentucky, con-
taining large quantities of fparfely fettled and, of
courfe, cheap lands, it appeared really inequitable
to pafs them over in filence. The beft informati-
on concerning them, which could be promptly col-
le8ed, was therefore confolidated into the little
publication, which forms the body of this chapter.

Notes concerning the United States of America^ ^c.

THE United States of America are fituated in
the northern divifion of that extenfive portion of
the globe, between the thirty-firft and forty-fixth
degrees of northern latitude. The extreme length
of their territories is about 1250 miles, the breadth
about 1040. Their fuperficies is computed to be
640,000,000 acres of land and water : and, after
deducting the fpace occupied by the capacious lakes
and mighty rivers, which fertilize and accommo-
date this country, and occupy above a feventh part
of its furface, there remain about 590,000,000 of
acres of faft land.

In fo very extended a fcene, it will be naturally
expe6led, that the fruits of the earth are many and
various : and accordingly we find, in the prefent
half-tried ftate of the capacities of our foil and cli-
mate, a lift of invaluable produQions prefent them-
felves, fome found by the firft' difcoverers of the
country — others introduced by mere accident —
and others tranfported from Europe, during the
fimple ftate of agriculture in the laft century. In
our fouthern latitudes, including the ftates of Geor-
gia, South Carolina and North Carolina, rice, much
fuperior to that of Italy or the Levant, is raifed in
very great quantities. The comparative value of
this grain was twenty five per cent, in the Englifh
markets, for the American more than the Italian or
Levant rice, as long as the latter was fold there :
but, from the ample quantity and goodnefs of our

rice, It feems probable, that no Mediterranean rice
is now imported into England, as it has been omit-
ted for fome time in their general accounts of prices.
The South Carolina crop alone, of 1789, appears
to have been above 100,000 tierces,* weighing fix-
ty millions of pounds. It is expelled that Virgi-
nia will add this article to her lift of exports; as it
is fuppofed, a large body of rich fwamp in her moft
eaftern counties, is capable of producing it; and
mountain rice has been raifed by way of experi-
ment, in her new country near the head of the
Ohio.

Tobacco is a ftaple article of all the ftates, from
Georgia as far north as Maryland, including both.
Virginia, alone, generally exported before the re-
volution, 55,000 hogfheads, weighing fifty-five mil-
lions of pounds — Maryland 30,000 hogfheads.
The Carolinas and Georgia, which raifed but little
of this article before the revolution, have, of late
years, produced very large quantities: and as Vir-
ginia and Maryland are turning more of their at-
tention to the cultivation of wheat, Indian corn,
flax, and hemp, the Carolinas and Georgia will
probably extend the cultivation of this plant, to
which their foil and climate are well fuitedt.

* 141,762 Tierces were exported from the United States in the
year ending on the 30th September 1792, though the confumption
in the middle and nothern ilates has increafed confiderably.

f 112,428 Hogfheads were exported in the year ending on
30th September 1793, b^fides fnuu and mnr.ufaclured tobacco.

Indigo is produced by North Carolina, South
Carolina, and Georgia : but this, and the other two
articles before mentioned, are raifed in much lefs
proportions in North Carolina, than in South Ca-
rolina and Georgia. The uniform of our national
troops has been heretofore of blue cloth, as alfo of
the militia in general. Our clergy are alfo permit-
ted by our cuftoms to wear this colour : and it is
generally liked among the moft frugal and moft ex-
penfive people. Thefe circumftances will no doubt
be duly attended to in our future laws and regula-
tions, and will operate very favourably for the indi-
go planters, without any expenfe to the country.

Cotton has been lately adopted as an article of
culture in the fouthern dates : and if the prices of
rice, tobacco, and indigo decline, it muft be very
beneficial to the owners and purchafers of lands
in that part of our union. This article is raifed
with eafe in Spain, every part of which kingdom
lies further north than the Carolinas, and in the
fame latitudes as Virginia, Maryland and the Dela-
ware ftate. It is alfo raifed in ail that part of
Afiatic Turkey, which lies between Scanderoon
and Smyrna, which are in the latitudes of the three
laft ftates. As our people will increafe very ra-
pidly by emigration, and the courfe of nature, it
is certain we cannot procure wool from pur own
internal refources in fufiicient quantities. The
owners of cotton plantations may therefore exped
a ccnftant and great demand for this article, as a

fubftitutc for wool, befides its ordinary ufes for
light goods.

Tar, pitch, and turpentine are produced in im-
menfe quantities in North Carolina, which (late
Ihips more of thefe articles, particularly the lad,
than all the reft of our union. Tar and pitch are
alfo produced in the fouthern parts of Jerfey, and
more or lefs in all the ftates fouthward of that.

Befides thefe, myrtle wax, and thofe two invalua-
ble timbers, the live oak and red cedar, are abund-
ant in the Carolinas and Georgia : and they have
Indian corn, hemp, flax, boards, flaves, fhingles,
leather, beef, pork, butter, minerals, fofTils, and ma-
ny other articles in common with the middle, or
eaftern dates; alfo fkins, furs and ginfeng from
their Indian country.

The wheat country of the United States lies in
Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennfylvania, New-
Jerfey and New-York, and the wedernmoit parts
of Conneclicut, as alfo the weftern parts of the tvv^o
Carolinas, and probably of Georgia, for their own
ufe. The charafter of the American flour is ^o
well known, that it is unnecefl'ary to fay any thing
in commendation of it here. Virginia exported
before the war 800,000 bulhels of wheat — Mary-
land above half that quantity. The export of
flour from Pennfylvania (with the wheat) was equi-
valent to 1,200,000 bufliels ia 1788, and about

ss,ooo,ooo of bufhels in 1789, which, however, waaf
a very favourable year. New-York exports in
flour and wheat equivalent to 1,000,000 of bufhels^
In the wheat dates are alfo produced great quan-
tities of Indian corn, or maize. Virginia former-
ly exported half a million of bufhels*. Maryland
fhips a great deal of this article, and confiderable
quantities, raifed in Virginia, Delaware, Pennfylva-
nia, New-Jerfey, New-York, and Connedicut, are
exported — as are the wheat and flour of the laft
five ftates, from Philadelphia and New- York, there
being little foreign trade from Delaware or Jer-
fey — and the weftern parts of Conne6licut fliipping
■with lefs expenfe from the ports on Hudfon's river
than thofe of their own fl:ate.

Hemp and flax are raifed in very large quan-
tities throughout the United States: and though
South Carolina and Georgia produce lefs than any
other ftates, of thefe two articles, they are capable
of raifing immenfe quantities. From the advantage
they have in the Savannah and other rivers, they
could produce hemp with great profit. Large por-
tions of the new lands of all the ftates are well fuit-
ed to hemp and flax.

Though ftieep are bred in all parts of America^
yet the moft populous fcenes in the middle ftates,
and the eaftern ftates which have been long fettled,

* Virginia exported in the above year 684,627 bufheU of Indi'
an corn, befides her increafed fliipments coaftwife*

and particularly the latter, are the places where
they thrive bed. In the caftern or New-England
ftates, they form one of the greateft objects of the
farmer's attention, and one of his fureft fources o^
profit. The demand for wool, which has of late
increafed exceedingly with the rapid growth of our
ttianufadures, will add confiderably to the former
great profits of fheep : and the confumption of
their meat by the manufafturers, will render them
ftill more beneficial.

Horned or neat cattle are alfo bred in every
part of the United States. In the weftern counties of
Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Kentucky,
where they have extenfive ranges, and mild win-
ters, without fnows of any duration, they run at
large, and multiply very faft. In the middle dates,
cattle require more of the care and attention they
ufually receive in Europe, and they are generally
good; often very large. But in the eaftcrn (tates,
whofe principal objeQs on the land, have until late*
ly been padurage and grazing, cattle are very nume-
rous indeed, and generally large. Cheefe is, of
Courfe, mod abundant in thofe dates. No European
Country can exceed the United States in the valua-
ble article of fait provifions. Our exports of this
kind are every day increafing; as the raifing of
cattleis peculiarly profitable to farmers, the greater
part of whom have no more land, than they can
cultivate even with the plough. Barley and oats are
the produBions of every date, though lead cvihi-

vated to the fouthward. Virginia however is turn-
ing her attention to barley, as alfo Maryland, and
can raife great quantities.

Mafts, fpars, (laves, heading, boards, plank, fcant-
ling, and fquare timber, are fhipped from almoft all
the flates : New-Hampfhire, and the adjoining pro-
vince of Maine, which is connected with MafTachu-
fetts, are among the moil plentiful Icenes. In New-
York they abound : and in North Carolina and
Georgia, the pitch-pine plank, and fcantling, and
white oak (laves, are excellent, and abundant, efpe-
cially in the former. The (lock of thele articles
on the Chefapeak and Delaware bays is more ex-
haufted : but yet there is a great deal on the rivers
of both for exportation, befides abundance for
home confumption. Confiderable quantities are
alfo brought to the Charledon market, but a large
part of them is from the adjacent dates of Georgia
and North Carolina. When their internal naviga-
tion (hall be improved, South-Carolina will open
new fources of thefe articles.

Pot-a(hes andpearl-adies havebecome very valu-
able articles to both the land-holders and merchants
of the United States : but their importance was com-
paratively unknown twenty years ago. A (ingle
fa61: will illuftrate the wealth that may be accquired
by this manufa6lure. The (late of Maffachufetts^
which has been (ettled twice as long the other
dates on a medium — which contains about a fifti-
eth part of the territory of the United States — which

is among the mofl populous of them — and confe-
quently muft have far lefs wood to fpare than ma-
ny other parts of the union — has neverthelefs (hip-
ped two hundred thoufand dollars worth of thefe two
articles in a year. New-England and New-York
have derived great advantage from their attention
to pot and pearl-afhes : but it has hitherto been
made in very inconfiderable quantities, in the ftates
to the fouthward of them. In mofl of them it has
been entirely overlooked. New-Jerfey and Dela-
ware have more forelts than Maffachufetts : and
as there is no part of either of thofe ftates, that lies
twenty-fiye miles from navigable water, they may
venture to expend their wood, and to depend upon
coal. In the other fix ftates, which lie fouth of
Hudfon's river, the materials for pot-afti are im-
menfc'— as alfo in the ftate of New^York.

A grand dependence of the eaftern ftates is on
their valuable fiftieries. A detail of thefe is unne-
ceflary. It is fufficient to fay, that, with a fmall ex-
ception in favour of New-York, the whole great fea
fjhery of the United States, is carried on by New-
England: and it is in a variety of ways highly be-
neficial to our landed and manufa6luring interefts.
Maffachufetts very far exceeds all the other ftates,
in the fiftiing bufinefs.

Iron is abundant throughout the union, except
in the Delaware ftate ; which can draw it as con-
veniently from the other ftates on the Delaware

river, as if it were in her own bowels. Virginia is
fuppofed to be the ftate moil pregnant with mine-
rals and foffils of any in our union.

Deer-fl^ins, and a variety of furs, are obtained
by all the ftates from the Indian country; either di-
re6lly, or through the ^nedium of tlieir neigh^
hours. Hitherto they have been exported in
large quantities. : but from the rapid progrefs of
our manufaBures, that exportation mud diminifh.

The article of pork, fo important in war, naviga-
tion and trade, merits particular notice. The plenty
of maft or nuts of the oak and beech, in fome places^
and Indian corn every where, occafion ours to be
very fine, and abundant. Two names among us
are pre-eminent — Burlington and Conne6licut •
the hrft of which is generally given to the pork of
Pennfylvania, and the middle and northern parts
of Jerfey : the fecond is the quality, of all the pork
north of Jerfey. It may be fafely affirmed, that
they are fully equal to the pork of Ireland, and
Britanny, and much cheaper. -

Cider can be produced with eafe in confiderable
quantities, from Virginia inclufive to the mofl
northern ftates, as alfo in the weftern country of the
Carolinas and Georgia : but New-Jerfey and New-
England have hitherto paid moft attention to
this drink. An cxquifite brandy is diftilled from
the extenfive peach-orchards, which grow upon the

the numerous rivers of the Chefapeak, in Nortk
Carolina, in Georgia, and in Pennfylvania, and
may be made in the greater part of our country.

Silk has been attempted with fuccefs in the fouth-
ernmoft iiates, fo far as due attention was paid to
it: but is not well fuited to the nature of their la-
bourers, who, being blacks, are not fufficiently
careful or flcilful: and there are many other objefts
of more importance and profit in the agriculture
of thofe fertile ftates. In Conne6ticut, where
there is a fenfible and careful white population,
and where land is comparatively fcarce and dear,
it is found to be practicable and beneficial. A pro-
jed to extend the white Italian mulberry-tree over
all the Hates, has been formed by fome perfevering
Individuals, acquainted with the propagation of
them. A great part of ConneBicut is already fup-
piied. An extenfive nurfery has been eftablifhed
near Philadelphia; another at Princeton, in New-
Jerfey ; and two more are at this time commen-
ced on New-York and Long Iflands.

Rye is produced generally through all the ftates
north of the Carolinas, and in the weftern parts of
the three fouthern ftates. But the detail of Ameri-
can produ61ions, and the parts in which they moft
abound, would be very lengthy. It will therefore
be fufficient to fay, that, in addition to the above
capital articles, the United States produce or con-
tain flaxfeed, fpelts, lime-ftone, allum, faltpetre.

lead, copper, coal, free-ftone, marble, flone for
wares, potters' clay, brick clay, a variety of
Ihip timber, fliingles, holly, beech, poplar, curled
maple, black walnut, wild cherry, and other
woods fuitable for cabinet makers, fhingles of
cedar and cyprefs, myrtle-wax, bees-wax, butter,
tallow, hides, leather, tanners' bark, maple fugar,
hops, multard-feed, potatoes, and all the other prin-
cipal vegetables; apples, and all the other princi-
pal fruits; clover, and all the other principal graf-
fes. .On the rubje8: of our productions, it is only
necefTary to add, that they mull be numerous, di-
yerfified, and extremely valuable, as the various
parts of pur country^ lie in the fame latitudes as
Spain, Portugal, the middle and fouthern provinces
of France, the fertile iQand of Sicily, and the great-
<Er part of Italy, European and Afiatic Turkey,
and the kingdom of China, which maintains by its
own agriculture more people than any country in
the world.

The lands of the United States, though capable
of producing fo great a variety of neceffary and
ufeful articles, are much cheaper than in Europe.
Farms which lie in fuch of our ftates as have been
longeft fettled and improved, can be purchafed for
lefs money than the medium value of farming lands
in any civilized part of the world: and our new
lands, as well within the particular bounds of the
feveral dates, as thofe in the weftern territory of
our confederated republic, are to be procured at

'95

very low prices, either for cafh at the time of pur-
chafe, a reafonable credit for a part, or a long ere*
dit on mortgage for the whole. This difference in
the price of new orunfettled landsis occafioned by
the difference of fituation and quality, their near-
nefs to good roads and water carriage, the quantity
wanted by the purchafer, his capacity to pay cafh,
the length of the credit given, the wants or necef-
fities of the fellers, and other circumflances, which
reafon will naturally fuggeft. The moll advanta-
geous mode is, for anumber of perfons to emigrate
together, with a minifter and ichoolmafter. If fuch
fmall bodies of people can only command money
enough to ereO: their little buildings, where timber
and ftone cofl nothing and are abundant, and to
buy provifions to live on for a year, they may pro-
cure lands upon very convenient and eafy terms
for feveral years, with little advance, and in many
inftances without the leaft advance of purchafe
money.

Labouring people in the farming, manufacturing,
and mechanical trades, can have conftant em-
ployment, and better wages, than in the dearefl
countries of Europe ; becaufe we have fo much
land, fo many new dwelling-houfes, work-fhops,
barns, and other buildings to ered, and fo many
new trades and manufaQories to eftablifh. And
though the wages of the induflrioiis poor are very
good, yet the neceffaries of life are cheaper than
in Europe, and the articles ufed are more comfor-
table and pleafing. The medium price of meat and

fifh in many parts of America, is lower than the
price of flour in Europe, efpecially if bought by
the carcafe. The French fleet were fupplied with
their beef laft year, at ten fhillings fteriing, for one
hundred pounds weight, in the city of Bofton. — -
Pickled beef was fold in the fame year, in the city
of New- York, for twenty to twenty-two fliillings
fteriing per barrel, of two hundred pounds weight,
including the coll: of fait and cafk. Beef was fold
by the fide and carcafe at Trenton, in New-Jerfey,
at lefs than ten fhillings fteriing per hundred
pounds; and in Philadelphia, at ten fliillings fter-
iing, in 1789. Thefe parcels were of the inferior
kind. The firft cuts of the fineft cattle are higher
as muft be fuppofed, efpecially in thofe three cities,
which are the largeft in the United States ; but it
may be fafely affirmed that an American cent (be-
ing equal to the hundredth part of a Mexican dol-
lar) will buy as good butchers' meat in the capitals
of the feveral ftates, as a penny fteriing will buy in
Amfterdam, Paris, or London. Fifti, in all our ci-
ties and towns near the fea, are excellent, abundant,
and cheaper far than butchers' meat : and poultry is
fo low, that a turkey^ of fourteen or fifteen pounds
weight, may be bought for three fhillings and nine-
pence to four fhillings and fix-pence fteriing. Add
to this, many principal necelfaries and convenien-
cies of life are entirely free from excife or duty, at
this time ; and will be lightly charged for a long
while to come — fuch as home-made malt liquors and
cider, coal and fire-wood, candles, oil, foap, to-
bacco, and leather, none of which pay excife, and

even foreign fait pays only about fix-pence fterling
duty on importation, and no excife whatever. Nor
have we any window-tax or hearth-money, nor fe-
veral other taxes, by which large fums are raifed
in Europe.

Many things are daily prefenting themfelves, by
which the profits of land will be greatly enhanced
in this country. We have hitherto imported a
great part of our drink from abroad, viz. rum,
brandy, gin. Sec. but we find, if we extend our
breweries fo far as to render thefe fpirituous li-
quors unneceflary, that wc fliall want above two
millions of bufhels of barley for the purpofe, and
large quantities of hops, befides having ufe for a
further part of the immenfe quantities of fire-wood
and coal with which our country abounds. We
have alfo obtained the European cotton mill, by
means of which, and a few of our innumerable mill
feats, the owners of lands, in the fix fouthern dates,
will be called upon to fupply great quantities of cot-
ton. The movements of a mill for fpinning flax,
hemp, and combed w^ool, have alfo been conftruQ-
ed here, by which our farmers, throughout the uni-
on, will be called upon to fupply further quantities
of flax and hemp, and to increafe their fheep. The
rolling mill for iron and other metals — and the tilt-
hammer for all large iron work — have been brought
into extenfive ufe, and will no doubtbe ereBed in all
the dates. But the detail of water- works, and me-
rhanifm which may be introduced iiito a country,

9«

that has, moderately fpeaking, ten thoufand (and
probably nearer twenty thoufand) mill-feats, would
be endlefs.

There is a ftriking invaluable difference between
tbe navigable waters of the United States andthofe
of any country in the old world. The Elbe is the
only river in Europe, which will permit a fea veffel
to fail up it for fo great a length as feventy miles.
The Hudfon's, or North-River, between the ftates
of New- York and New-Jerfey, is navigated by fea
veflels onehundred and eighty miles from the ocean ;
the Delaware, between Pennfylvania, New-Jerfey
and the Delaware ftate, one hundred and fixty miles;
the Patowmac, between Virginia and Maryland,
three hundred miles: and there are feveral other
rivers, bays, and founds, of extenfive navigation,
far exceeding the great river Elbe. The inland
boatabie waters and lakes are equally numerous
and great.

In a country thus circumftanced, producing the
great raw materials for manufa6lures, and pofleffing
unlimited powers by water and refources of fuel,
fubje6l alfo to confiderable charges upon the impor-
tation of foreign fabrics, to negletl manu/aBures
xuoiild have been highly criminal. Thefe impor^*
tant ideas have taken full poifeffion of the Ameri-
can mind. The theory is now every where approv^
ed: and in New England, Pennfylvania, and feve^
ral other dates, the praQice has been taken up with
confiderable fpirit and very extenfively. Mailer

trorkmen in everv manufaduring and mechaniGal
art (except thofe of fuperfluous or luxurious kinds)
with their journeymen and labourers, muft fucceed
here. The freight, infurance, and other charges
of along voyage, of more than three thoui^nd miles
and the duties laid here, operate greatly in favour
of American fabrics. Manufactures by fire, water^
and emigrating workmen, muft fucceed even in
the moft agricultural of our ftates, and will ipeeC
every encouragement in the Ncv^ JSngland dates,
and others whofe lands are nearly full. A regard
for the republican manners of our country, renders
it a duty to warn the manufa6lurers of very fine,
fuperflous, and luxurious articles, not to emigrate
to thefe flates. Gold and filver and other laces^
embroidery, jewellery, rich- filks and filk velvets,,
fine cambrics, fine lawns, fine muflins> and articles
of that cxpenfive nature, have yet few wearera
here.

Ship-building is an art for which the United
States are peculiarly qualified by their (kill in the
conftruQion, and by the materials, with which-
this country abounds: and they are flrongly tempt-
ed to purfue it by their com.mercial fpirit, by the
capital fifheries in their bays and on their coafts,
and by theprodutlionsof agreat and rapidly increaf-
ing agriculture. They build their oak vefl'els oa
lower terms than the cheapeft European vefi'els of
fir, pine, and larch. The coft of an oak fhipin
New England, is about twenty-four Mexican dol-
lars per ton fitted for fea : a fir veflel cofts in the

lOO

ports of the Baltic, thirty-five Mexican dollars : and
the American fhip will be much the moft durable.
The coft of a vellel of the American live-oak and
cedar, which will laft (if faked in her timbers) thir-
ty years, is only thirty-fix to thirty-eight dollars in
our different ports ; and an oak fhip, in the cheap-
eft part of England, Holland, or France, fitted in
the fame manner, will cofl fifty-five to fixty dollars.
In luch a country, the fiflieries and commerce, with
due care and attt^ntion on the part of government,
muft be profitable.

The public debt of the United Slates, occafioned
by the revolution war, is eftimated at about eigh-
teen millions of pounds fterling ;* but as they have
an extenfive fettled territory — above two hundred
and forty millions of acres of vacant land — as their
duties upon foreign articles are not more than one
fourth of thofe of Great Britain — as they have no
excifes or duties upon articles of their own growth
or manufafture — and laftly, as they are every year
faving large fums by the introdu6lion of new manu-
faBures and the extenfion of old ones, this debt
cannot be confidered as heavy. The intereft of the
public debts of France and Great Britain (which
are nearly equal to each otherj is, in each inftancc,
above nine millions fterling : And as our debt, like
the debt of all nations, is fold below its nominal
value, lefs than two years intereft of the debts of
either of thofe two nations would entirely fink it.

^ It proves to be lefs.

ioi

The capital of the Britifh debt is above fourteen
times as great as ours— and the annual expenfes of
their government exceed ours beyond all compa-
rifon. The annual expences of France are itill
greater, being about one hundred and five mil-
lions ol dollars. If nations thus circumftanced can
have comfort and eafe, under fuch debts and ex-
penfes, America can have no hardfhips or difficul-
ty to apprehend.

The people of the principal European nations
will find themfelves more at home in America than
in any foreign country, to which they can emigrate.
The Englifli, German, and Dutch languages arc
fluently fpoken by large bodies of our citizens,
who have emigrated from thofe countriccS, or who
are the defcendants of emigrants. The French
language is alfo fpoken by many in our towns.
There are many emigrants from other nations, and
the defcendants of fuch emigrants. Our popula-
tion has been derived from England, Scotland,
Wales, Ireland, Germany, the United Netherlands,
Sweden, and France, and a few from feveral other
countries. It is computed to be above three mil-
lions at this time :t and the population of no coun-
|,ry can increafe fo rapidly ; becaufe living is no
where fo cheap, and we are conftantly gaining peo-
ple from the nations of the old world.

The ftate of literature in the Uuited States is

i It was a matter of agreeable farprife, that our population iq
1 79 1, proved to be about 4,000,000.

102

refpe^lablej and is rapidly advancing and extending.
Seminaries of learning are fpread from north to
fouth. There arc five univerfities, no one of which,
however is on a very extenfive fcaie — ^fourteen col-
leges, and forty eight public academies, befides
very many eltabliftiments of fchools, in the town-
fhips or hundreds, and under the care of religious
corporations and focieties. There is fcarcely an
inftance of a flate conftitution, which does not re-
cognize the utility of public fchools, and the necef-
fity of fupporting and increafing them. Liberal
grants of land and other real eftates, and of monies,
for thele falutary purpofes, have been and are con-
tinually made.

The fituation of civil liberty in America is fo
iiniverfally known that it is fcarcely neceffary to add
any thing upon that head. Yet it may not be amifs
briefly to mention, that no man can be convifted
of any crime in the United States, without the una-
nimous verdift of twelve jurymen— that he cannot
be deprived of any money, lands, or other proper-
ty, nor punifhed in his perfon, but by fome known
law, made and publifhed before the circumftance
or a61 in queftion took place — that all foreigners
may freely exercife their trades and employments,
on landing in our country, upon equal terms with
our own natural born citizens — that they may re-
turn at any time, to their native country, without
hindrance or moleftation, and may take with them
the property they brought hither, or what they may
have afterwards acquired here — that if they choofe

103

to remain among us, they \vill become completely
naturalized frcQ citizens by only two years refi-
dence; but may purchafe and hold lands on the day
of their arrival, and that a free citizen of the Uni-
ted States has a right, dire6lly or indiredly, to eleft
every officer of the (late in which he lives, and
every officer of the United States.

The fituation of religious rights in the American
dates, though alfo well known, is too important,
too precious a circumllance, to be omitted, Al-
mofl every fe6l and form of chriftianity is known
here — as alfo the Hebrew church. None are mere-
ly tolerated. All are admitted, aided by mutual
charity and concord, and equally fupported and
cheriffied by the laws. In this land of promife for
the good men of all denominations, are aftually to
be found, the independent or congregational
church from England, the Proteftant Epifcopal
church (feparated by our revolution from the
church of England) the Quaker church, the Englifh,
Scotch, Irifli and Dutch Prefbyterian or Calvinift
churches, the Roman Catholic church, the German
Lutheran church, the German reformed church,
the Baptift and Anabaptifl; churches, the Hugonot
or French Proteftant church, the Moravian church,
the Swedifh Epifcopal church, the Seceders from
the Scotch church, the Menonifl: church, with other
Chriftian fefts, and the Hebrew church. Mere to-
leration is a doQrine exploded by our general con-
llitution ; inftead of which have been fubftituted
an unqualified admifiion, and affertion, that their

164

dwh modes of worfhip and of faith equally belong
to all the worfhippers of God, of whatever church,
fed, or denomination*.

A T the time of the foregoing publicatioit, the
the exports of the United States amounted to
above 18,000,000 of dollars. The progrefs of in-
duftry had advanced them in 1792, to the fum of
21,000,600 of dollarst. A very large proportion
of this increafe, Confifts in articles for the fufte-
nance of man- — the food of our increafing ma-
nufaQurers, or the prime neceffaries of other
countries. The ufeful art of Ihip-building has
kept more than equal pace with our agriculture,
becaufe it has felt the impulfe of the revival of the
fifheries, and of foreign demand. The price of
iron, which is a good general index of induliry and

* The Writer of the foregoing publication hasf found himfelf
reftrained in the ftatement of fa£ls concerning the United States, by
the want of that accurate and various information, which a full ac-
count of fo extenfive and grand a fcene neceffarily requires: and
his narrow limits obliged him to omit feveral important fafts,
very interefling to emigrants of every defcription. He hopes that
fome of the excellent pens, which abound in every part of our uni-
on, will be employeid in (hewing the true fituation of things in
each ftate, that, from the feveral details, the extraordinary capacity
ef the United States of America^ to promote the comfort and happinefs of
the human raee^ may be duly manife/ied.

+ In the year ending on the 30th September 1793, the exportar

of the United States were 26,000,000 of dollars.

105

arts, has been greatly advanced by the progrefs of
public and private improvements, and ufeful ma-
nufa6tures : and eleven great and important canals
have been aftaally commenced in a country, which
before the late revolution did not exhibit a fmgle
inftance of thofe invaluable improvements.

io6

CHAPTER Vn.

Concerning the distilll:ries of the United States.

THE importance of molafles to the United
States has been fo frequently a topic of
obfervation, that it is prefumed to be generally
underftood. No lefs than 7,194,606 gallons were
regularly entered in the cuftom-houfes, from vari-
ous places, during the year ending in September
1791. When the diforders in the French part of
the ifland of St. Domingo commenced in the au-
tumn of that year, apprehenfions arofe, that thofe
citizensof the United States, who were interefted in
the diflilleries from foreign materials, might fuilain a
grievous fhock, unlefs they would adopt the fubfti-
tutes, which our own agriculture afforded. It was
manifeft, that thefe individual incpnveniencies, by
due anticipation, might be confiderably diminifhed ;
and it was no lefs evident, that the agriculture of
the United States might be exceedingly benefited
by the diftillation of fruit and grain, inftead of
molaiTes. From a defire to bring thefe circum-
ftances into that notice, which their importance
required, the following paper was introduced into
public view in the ftate of Mafiachufetts, in which
the molaffes diftillery greatly exceeds thofe of all
the other ftates together.

107

Rejleclions, on the prcfcnt Jituation of the dijlilleries^
of the United States, heretofore employed on foreign
nMej'ials.

I T has been, a fubjeQ of frequent apprehenfion,
to attentive obfervers on the internal induftry of
our country, that the diftilleries in the fea-port
towns would one day be deprived of their necefla-
ry fupply of foreign materials : the obvious poflibi-
lity of various events fuggefted thefe fears. A con-
tingency as deplorable as it was unexpected, has
at length happened, which menaces a long inter-
ruption, perhaps a total privation, of that large
part of thofe fupplies, which has been drawn from
Hifpaniola ; and the late diforders in Martinico,
have confpired to heighten the evil.

In confequence of thefe events, the ordinary
operations of above one hundred diftiilcries will be
affeBed, and the fubfiftence of thofe numerous fami-
lies, that are dependant on them, will be for a time
or in a degree cut off. The ravages already com-
mitted in the Weft-Indies, muft occafion a defal-
cation of produce, which it will require feveral
years of induftry to reftore, after tranquility fliall
be eftablifhed. To fupply our demand for the raw
materials from any other fource, is impradicable ;
and if it were poffible to procure from the iflands
of other nations, diftilled fpirits, equal to our con-
fumption, yet the importation would be exceffively
.expenfive^ as well as impolitic, Little more than

io8

eight millions of gallons are annually made in thofe
iflands ; and the demand for the cxpeQed Spanifh
war advanced the price of rum in Jamaica, fifty
per cent. — What then would he the elfeft of a
new and conftant demand for feveral millions of
gallons ?

But were it p/ra8:icable to procure the diftilled
fpirits from abroad, upon moderate terms, what
would be the fate of the American diflillers, their
workmen and afliflants r Would not their capi-
tals become unprodu8ive, and their diliilleries,
fink into ruin ? It is to be feared, too, that the fhip,
ping conne6ted with this branch of induftry, will
feel a fhare of thefe unfortunate events^

To avoid evils fo great and cxtenfivc, muft be
the \j\ih and fliould be the endeavour of every
good citizen. If, however, they cannot be alto-
gether prevented, prudence may perhaps mitigate
them. It is thought that a diminution of them
may be found in the application of our diftilleries
to the manufafture of grain and fruit Ijpirits.

The harvcfts of Europe are faid to have been
abundant; thofe of the United States are known
to be fo ; and a redudion of the prices of grain
feems to be a probable confequence: the prefent
time, therefore, is the proper one to commence
this bufinefs. The tranfportation of grain and ci-
der coaftwife, to the diftilleries; and of the diftil-

109

led fpirits to the confumers, on all the navigable
v/aters of the United States, will give employment
to thofe vefTels which may neccflarily relinquifli
the French Weft-India trade.

It will not efcape the obfervation of thofe who
meditate the eftablifhment or extenfion of brew-
eries, that the prefent is a favourable moment for
proceeding in that moft beneficial branch. It is
well known that brewing, and the diftillation of
fpiritsfrom grain, are two very profitable manufac-
tures in Great-Britain; although the brewer and
diftiller there pay fifty per cent, higher for grain
than the ordinary price of the fame article in this
country. Holland alfo brews extenfively, and in
diftillation from grain exceeds Great-Britain; yet
fhe imports more grain than (he manufaQurcs, ar)d
more fuel than her breweries and diftilleries con-
fume.

The difference of eleven cents per gallon (about
forty per cent, on the value of the article) in fa-
vourof fpirits diftilled from native materials, when
compared with imported fpirits, gives an advan-
tage to the home manufaBure, which will be duly
eftimated by every judicious calculator: there
can be no doubt, thaf this advantage will be al-
ways preferved, and probably increafed by the laws
of the United States*.

* Among the inducements vrhich the national government have
to adhere ti thio policy, is this very importunt one, tint the encou-
ragement to ihe culture of grain, which would be derived from
the ufe of it in brewing and diftillation, would prove the mtft cf-
fcftual fccurity againft a fcarcity of breed.

3HQ

The ftrongeft inducement to reafonable men,
for the employment of their capital and induftry
in any undertaking, is the hope of permanent profit,
founded on fair calculation : this calculation the
diftillers are beft able to make : to them, there-
fore, the ideas herein fuggefted are all fubmitted.

THE great (lock of molafTes, which was left
on hand from the unufual importation of lygii
and the exertions of the merchants and diftillers
to procure fupplies of that article from new fourc-
es, have occafioned the mutation of the molalfes
dittilleries into fruit and grain diftilleries, to be
yet inconfiderable. It is certain however, that
the new diftilleries have been principally confined
to fruit and grain, and that the manufa6lure of
{pirits, from domeftic materials, has greatly increa-
fed. The high price of grain, arifing from the
European demand, has occafioned the gradual
manner, in which the change of our diftilleries is
taking place, to be perfectly convenient. The in-
habitants of the United States are thoroughly pre-
pared, by their own refie6lions on this branch of
their biifinefs, to make fuch further alterations, as
circumftances may require, whenever they fhall
become neceft'ary*.

* Breweries, which are more eftimable kind of liquor manufac-
tory, have greatly increafed. 1793»

Ill

C H A P T E R VIII,

TEMENTS, RELATIVE TO tHE AGRICULTURE, MANU-
FACTURES, COMMERCE, POPULATION, RESOURCES AND
PUBLIC KAPPINEiS OF THE UnITED StATES, IN REPLY
TO THE ASSERTIONS AND PREDICTIONS OT LoRD SHEF-
FIELD.

THE mifconccptions in regard to American
affairs which prevailed in many parts of Eu-
rope in the year 1791, and particularly in the Bri-
ti{h dominions, were deemed to be very great.
They appeared to be founded, in no fmall degree^
on the dirquifitions of an Englifli writer* whole er-
rors, it was therefore, neceffary to demonftrate.

An examination of his work was commenced in
the American Mufeum and continued monthly, as
circumftances permitted. Further refle6lion and
opportunity produced additional fa6ts and fome re.
lative confiderations, which, on a re-publication,
were intermixed with the original materials, or
were comprifed in a feventh number, and in two
additional notes on American manufa6lures.

^^t is poiTible, that a queftion may have arifen,
why an examination of a work, firft publifhed in
1783, fhould have been inftituted in 1791 ? The
obfervations of lord Shefrield had gone through fix

* Lord Sheffield.

tl2

enlarged editions, and the fame writer having dif-
feminated ideas, very unfavourable to the United
States, in his book upon the commerce of Ireland,
it was conceived that a developement of his errors
was due no lefs to thofe who are mifinformed in
Europe, than to thofe interefts, which are not un-
derltood in this country. It had been frequently
oblerved, that when American affairs were difcuf-
fed in Britain, lord Sheffield's work was quoted
with fymptoms of conviQion and belief. Under
circumllances like thefe, an examination of his al-
legations, predictions and remarks, even at that day,
would not, it was hoped, appear unfeafonable.

A Brief examination of Lord Shejffield's Obferva-
tions on the Commerce of the United States y with
two Jupplementary notes on American manufac^
tures,

SECTION I.

THE faBs and obfervations of this writer have,«
in the opinion of many of his countrymen, fo firm-
ly endured the touchftone of experience, that an
attempt to demonftrate errors in both, may appear
to deferve little attention. The brevity, however,
which is intended to be obferved, may induce the
parties concerned, to give thefe papers an atten-
tive perufal.

It is remarked, in the laft edition of the publi-
cation referred to, ** that a knowledge and con-

113

fideration of the American trade fhould diQate to
Great-Britain the meafures fhe ought to purfue."
The good fenfe of that obfervation, in relation to
the time when it was written, is admitted, without
hefitation, and it is confidered as equally proper,
in regard to the prefent. It is believed, indeed, to
comport mofl: perfeQly with the dignity and true
interefts of nations, not to induce into injurious
grants thofe foreign powers, with whom they may
find occafion to treat. No obfervations need be
offered, to fhow the refpedability, which is acquired
by negociations conduced with a liberal and mag-
nanimous policy. It will be fufficient to remark,
that arrangements, folidly founded in the mutual
interefts of the contra6ling parties, will always he
fatisfaQory to the intelligent part of their refpe8ive
citizens, and confequently moll permanent ; but
that injudicious grants of unreafonablc advantages,
efpecially if obtained by deceptive means, diflio-
nour the chara6ter of the over-reaching party — lead
to murmers among the people of the miftaken na-
tion, often to expenfive and bloody wars — and give
immenfe hazard to the commercial enterprizes,
which are ufually inftituted in contequence of new
treaties. It may be confidered, therefore, as wif-
dom in negociating nations, diligently to fearch for
their common interejls, as the fitted ground of treaty.
In order to difcover //le/^ with ealc, and to view
them with juft impreffions, it is a mealure not only
of primary importance, but of indifpenfible necef-
fity, to remove eftablifhed errors in the public

114

creed of either country. It is not by way of apo-
logy, that thefe prefatory remarks are offered to all
concerned, but to fhow, that a rational purfuit of
the interefts of their refpedive countries, fhould
lead both Americans and Englifhmen, to develope
the errors, in regard to fafts and opinions, difcove-
rable in a publication,* which appears to have been
the caufe of a change of meafures in the Britifh
nation, or to have been intended to vindicate one^
which it was pre-determined to make.

It is not propofed to go into a full and regular
reply to the writer of the obfervations, but rather
to point out fo many real and important errors in
his fads and predictions, as may (hake the unlimit-
ed confidence, which has been repofed in him by
his countrymen, in order to lead to a different le-
giflative deportment towards us. Little regard
will be paid to order, in this curfory examination;
but any important objeft, which prefents itfelf, will
be concifely noticed.

THE CARRYING TRADE,

in the opinion of lord Sheffield, is loft to the peo-
ple, inhabiting thefe ftates, by their choice of inde-
pendence. Let us examine the proofs. His fe-
venth table ftates the inward tonnage of all the
Britifh provinces in North- America, in 1770, to
have been 365,100 tons. From this amount are

* Lord Sheffield's Obfervations, &c

1^5

to be dedu6led the entries in Newfoundland, Ca-
nada, Nova-Scotia, the two Floridas, the Bahamas^
and Bermuda, being 33,458 tons, which leaves the
entries in thofe provinces, which are now the
United States, at 331,642 tons. We are alfo to
dedu6l the fliips owned by Britifh fubjefts, not
refident in thofe thirteen provinces. Champion
confiders thefe to have been nearly the whole in
the European trade, it is believed erroneoufly ;
but they mufl have been very confidcrable : yet
the return of entries of American vellels for the
lafl year, rendered by our treafury to the Houfe of
Reprefentatives, though known to have been in-
complete from inevitable caufes, amounts to above
363,000 tons, exclufive of fifhing veffels*.

Itismanifeft, then, thatthe carrying trade, which
refults almoft unaided from an agriculture, that ful-
ly lades 650,000 tons of veffels to foreign ports, is
confiderably greater than what we enjoyed as Bri-
tifh provinces. A very beneficial coafting trade
(employing above 100,000 tons*) has moreover
grown up, partly from the variety of ourproduftions
and mutual wants, and partly from the introduction
of manufactures, which it was believed we could
never attain, and with which Great Britain alone
ufed to fupply us. The building of fhips has alfo
increafed, as we undertake hereafter to fhow, and

* Our numerous coaftcrs alfo not being entered, but only renew-
ing their licences in that trade, once a year, form no part of
the 365,000 tons.

ii6

the tonnage ov/ned by the merchants of the United
States or late American provinces, was never fo
great as at the prelent moment. It is believed^
moreover, that the American carriers derive great-
er profit from the buiinefs, than the Britifh nation,
who builds fhips two-thirds dearer, and who main-
tain themfelves in what they polTeis of the carrying
trade, at the expenle of great bounties out of their
public treafury, by burdeniome reflrittions on all
their dominions, but the ifland of Great-Britain,
and by regulations to favour their fliipping, which
increafe the price of raw materials for their manu-
faBures, and of bread and oihtx food for their work-
men and for their poor.

BEEF AND PORK,

in the opinion of our author, are not likely to be-
come confiderable articles of export, fo as to inter-
fere with Ireland for fome time. I'he medium an-
nual quantity exported from the United States, be-
fore the revolution, he flates at 23,635 barrels. Our
treafury return, for the lad year, exhibits 66,000
barrels, befides 2,500 barrels of bacon, 5,200 head
of horned cattle, and an equal number of bogs.
The medium price of the pork was thirty-feven fliil-
]ings fterling, or about 8^ dollars per barrel, and
that of beef twenty-eight fhillings fterling, or about
6^ dollars per barrel. Befides this exportation,
263,000 tons of foreign veflels, in a great degree,
and all our own, were vidualled from our markets.

|i7

But a moments refleftion will convince any man,
who knows this country, that it will, in the courfe
of a few years, offer to all foreign nations fuch
quantities of fait provifions, efpecially of beef, ^s
muft ferioufly affed Ireland, where that article is
fold at eight dollars per barrel. It is a faft no lefs
curious, than important to our provifion trade,
that the French fleet has been fupplied with beef
in the port of Bofton, at prices lower than the then
current value of wheat-flour in any of our feaports,
although our expors of the latter article are four-
teen times as great as thofe of Ireland. The ow-
ners of the interior lands of the United States, on
which fettlements have but lately become confide-
rable, find a particular advantage in raifing cat-
tle, becaufe thofe animals tranfport themfelves
to the feaports at a very fmall expenfe,*

TEAS.

It is known to perlons acquainted with Ameri-
can commerce, that teas of various kinds form a
very confiderable proportion of our importations.
The rich and the poor confume them freely. Their
value, as they were entered in our cuftom-houfes,
for the year preceding the firft of 06lober, 179O,
was 2,784,000 dollars, which was about a feventh
of our imports. On this very capital article of
commerce and confumption, lord Sheffield hazards
the following opinions —

* The exportation of beef and pork, in the year ending on the
^oth September, 1792, was 11 2,436 barrels.

ii8

<' That as the Englifh Eaft-India company can
afford to ("ell this tea, on full as good, if not better,
terms, than the Dutch, or any other nation in Eu-
rope, there is no danger of lofing the American mar"
ketJ' And

" That the allowing the drawback upon teas ex-
ported from Great-Britain, will generally enable
the Englifh to command the tea trade to America."

His lordftiip had forgotten that Canton is an
open market, equally accejfible to all nations. '' The
American (hips have accordingly gone thither, not
only in the ordinary feafons, but in thofe, which
ufually rejlrain European expeditions. The United
States produce the great article o{ ginfeng in large
quantities, which renders this trade convenient to
them. The teas, imported by our merchants di-
reQly from China, in the laft year, were two mil-
lions fix hundred and one thovfand eight hundred and
fifty two pounds^ which is fully equal to our con-
fumption, could v;e obtain coffee, and the requifite
quantity of Mufcovado fugars, of which pur peo-
ple are univerfally and paffionately fond. There
were imported alfo from Europe, 416,652 pounds
of teas, fhipped from foreign ports, other than Bri-
tijhy to the extreme difadvantage of the fhippers,
and to the great injury of our merchants. But the
values of commodities in any two markets are the
bed illuflration of the relation of thofe markets to
each other. The article of tea will therefore be

119

paffed over, after the following ftatement of the
current prices on a given day in America and Great-
Britain.

In Philadelphia, on the 5th day
of November, 1790, after
paying the duty inward.

Bohea,

Souchong,

*Hvfon,

Sterling.

1/3^ or 30 cents,
3/4i or 75 cents,
/^fS or 100 cents.

In London, on the 5th day of
November, 1790, after de-
ducting the drawback of 1 2I.
I OS. percent.

Sterling.
Bohea, 1/5 i or 32 cents,

Souchong, 4/6 or j 00 cents,
Hyfon, 6/ or 1 33 1 cents.

The fame circumftances, which facilitate and in-
fure the attainment of the rcquifite quantity of teas,
not only by means other than Britifh, but indeed
by American means, certify to us the acquifition of
the neceflary fupplies of porcelain, nankeens, filks,
and all other China commodities : and upon the
whole, we dare venture to appeal to the books of
the infpeftor general of the Britifh commerce, when
we affirm that Great Britain does not fupply us with
with a fortieth fliilling of the various kinds of China
merchandize, confumed in America, though they
probably fall little fhort of a fixth of our importa-
tions.

SALT FROM EUROPE,

This article, the writer of the obfervations fays,
will be taken indifcriminately from Europe : there-
by mifleading the government and people of En-

* No teas have been imported from Britain Into the United
States fince the firft publication of this work. A. D. 1793.

■ 4.2 c>

gtarid into a belief^ that they will have a chance of
fupplyijig a confiderable proportion. The quanti-
ty imported into the United States, from various
countries, in the laft year, was 2,337,920 bufhels ;
befides which it was manufa6lured in interior fitua-
tions. The price of fait in Kentucky, where it is
home made, is about one third of the market rate
at Pittfburgh, where foreign fait is ufed.

The Britifh fait is what is called fine in Ameri-
ca, from the fmall lize of the cryftals. Of it-his
kind the price is greater than that of the coarl'e,
and not a twentieth bufhel was imported before
the prefent year, it being little ufed but at the ta-
ble, and inconvenient to tranfport to the interior
country; but the new duty, near the eighth of a
Mexican dollar, will render its importation very
unprofitable in future. A bufliel of rock or allum
fait, as it is termed, from the fize of the cryftals,
will go as far in ufe, as a bufhel and an half or two
bufliels of the finer kind; and the duty is equal.
The price, as before obferved, is lefs. Befides, our
grain and lumber fhips to Portugal, our tobacco
fhips to France, our corn, flour and lumber fhips
to Spain, our veflels to the Cape-de-Verd and Weil-
India iflands, are accommodated by ballafts of fait,
which is cheap and abundant in thofe places. It
never fails to yield fome profit to the owner of the
lliip, (though it will very feldom pay a freight) and
it is exceedingly beneficial to the timbers of a vef-
fcl. The liberation of this article in France will

121

cjccafion it to be better made there in future, and
the French will confequently fupply us with larger
parcels than heretofore. The approximation of
our fettlements to the fait fprings, and the increafe
of white population on the fouthern fea coafts, will
occafion additions to the quantity made at home.
Should any impediment be thrown in the way of the
reception of our lumber and other bulky articles,
and of our veffels in Great Britain, the importation
of fait, and indeed of mod other coarfe Britifh ar-
ticles, will be exceedingly dimipiflied, as they are
brought now to ballad our return veffels. It ap-
pears, howeveron examining better documents than
were procurable at the firft publication of this pa-
per, that our Britifli lumber trade had induced a
greater return in lalt, than was at that time fuppo-
fed ; and as truth is the fole object of this examina-
tion, the error is made known without hefitation.

SHOES,

Our writer fays, were, and mud continue to be
imported in confiderable quantities, and principal-
ly from Britain ! 'Tis probable that not lefs than
eight millions of pair of (hoes, boots, half boots,
guetres, flippers, clogs, and golofhoes, are annually
confumed in or exported from the United States,'
Our population proves to be about 4,000,000 ; and
if each perfon wears a quantity of the above (hoe-
makers* wares, equivalent to two pair of fhoes per
annum, the number will be made up. If the me-
dium value be taken at 75 cents or 3/4!- fterling per

122

pair, this valuable article will amount to fix millions
of dollars. Of this prodigious quantity, only
70,450 pair of (lioes, boots, &c, were imported
into the United States in the lad year.t Tanned
leather, weighing 22,698 pounds, was exported
within the fame time, and 5,700 pairs of boots and
■fhoes. Of immaniifaBured hides, only 230 were
ihipped abroad. Leather and fhoes were lent in
fome degree from the weftern country. The lea-
ther branch is the fecond in England, and it is equal
to one-fifth of their (laple manufadures. Our fhoe-
makers* wares alone appear to be more in value
than one fourth of our exports: and as New Eng-
land is our greateft cattle country, and the mod
advanced in handicraft-manufaftures, it is plain
that its inhabitants mud be in a confiderable de-
gree indemnified for the efl[e6ls of thofe regulations
which injured their fifheries. The coarfer oils, it
may be alfo obferved, are demanded in large quan-
tities by the leather drellers, whofe requifitions of
them will increafe with our population, and exports
of leathern manufd6lures.

PAPER.

This article, it is alledged by our author, will
continue to be fent in confiderable quantities from

f It mufl be highly fatisfactory to the people of the United
States, that they actually make of one necefiary article by hand fo
very great an aggregate value, as fix millions of dollars. All argu-
ment againft the poflibiiity of manufafluring by hand with profit is
ended by this fa6t.

123

England; and that "although forae coaiTe paperfor
newfpapers is made in America, it is not equal to
the demand/* From a return made to the manu-
fa6turing fociety of Philadelphia, it appears, that
there are forty-eight paper mills in Pennfyivania
alone. Five more are building in one county of
that ftate. Others are known to exiil in North
Carolina, Delaware, Maryland, New Jerfey, New
York and New England. The United States, till
very iately, were infennble of the facility with which
this branch can be carried on, of the profit which
refults from it, and of the great degree in which it
is eltablifbed. The treafury of the United Slates,
and the feveral banks, have paper of the moll per-
fect kindj Ipecially made for them ; the printing of
books has increafed in an aftonifhing degree ; and
factories of paper hangings are carried on with great
fpirit in Bollon, New-Jerfey, and Philadelphia.
In fhort, there are abundant proofs of eitablifh-
ment and progrefs towards perfection, in this valur
able branch, in which every thing is ijjade, as it
were, out of nothing.

RUM.

It is the opinion of lord Sheffield, that the whole
of the Wejl-India rum ufed in America, except a
frnall quantity from Demarara, and fome from
St.. Croix, may be fupplied by the Britifli iflands*.
The following fcalc may be relied on, as the pre-

* The Britifti Weft-India iflands do not make as much diililled
fpirits, as are confumed in the United States.

124

fent ftate of this bufinefs in the United States. If
the whole quantity of molaffes, of diftilled fpirits
imported, and of diftilled fpirits made at home of
fruit and grain, fhould be divided into 132 parts,
it v/ould ftand thus.

parts,

Molaffes imported would be - - 60
Britifli, Danifli, and other rum, taffia,
brandy, geneva, arrack, cordials, and
other diftilled fpirits ifnported, would
be*. 37

Spirits diftilled from the native fruits
and grain of the United States would
be at leaft 35

Total 132

It is afcertained, that the Britifti fpirits are not
more than twenty-one parts of the fecond item of
ihirty-feven ; and it appears that the Wejl-India
rum, fupplied by all nations, is reduced to ^bout
one fourth of our confumption and fale to foreign
nations of diftilled fpirits. How long we fiiall conti-
nue to take even that proportion is very uncertain.
Breweries are multiplying; as their value is be-
coming manifeft. Grain and fruit diftilleries are
rifing up every where. From interior fituations
two gallons of fpirit, extraBed from a bufiiel of rye,

* There is reafon to affirm, that the two firft articles have de-
creafed, and that an increafe in the quantity of the article which
follows them, has taken place. A. D. 1793.

125

can be brought to markets v;here it will realize 19
the farmer two thirds of a dollar for his grain, at
lefs expenfe than if made into flour, and carted to
the fame fpot. The country is abundantly fuppli-
ed with ftills; and were the Britifli illands to be
refufed our flour and grain by their own govern-
ment, as lord Sheffield advifes, this country would
be compelled to indemnify itfelf by making grain
fpirits and malt liquors in lieu of their rum, which
it is reafonable to fuppofe we (hould no longer im-
port. Indeed the exportation of liquors of ail kinds,
made from grain, will probably become very con-
fiderable. Some countries refufe our flour: and
the freight to Europe is a heavy charge upon grain.
This will induce brewing and dillillation, even
when markets abroad are not bad ; but when
prices in Europe are very low, we fhall be more
ftrongly impelled to them. Fruit fpirits muft be
made continually, and will add much to the aggre-
gate of diftillcd liquors. The grain confumed in
Great-Britain, in their breweries and diftilleries, is
computed to be twenty-four millions of bufliels,
though they are obliged to import confiderable
quantities of flour, meal and grain and though
they have rum colonies to fupport, and to fupply
with fpirits. Holland alfo carries on the liquor
manufaftories to a great extent, though far from
able to feed itfelf. The ability in the United States
to do the fame, cannot be doubted, and will cer-
tainly increafe. The facilities, which are or may
, be granted to our fhips and trade by foreign na-
tions, who make fpirits from the vine, the cane, or

125

the feveral kinds of grain, will induce returns in
brandy, rum, or gin, ^yhich will diminifli the Amcr
rican demand for Britifh rum.

The idea that the United States are a country, fui generis.

This pofition the writer of the obfervations treats
«f* as perfedly whimfical — *^ As a figure of rhetoric
" conveying no diftinQ idea, or an effort of cunning
" to unite, at the fame time, two inconfiftent cha-
** raQcrs." Yet it will not be difficult to demonflratc
to an unprejudiced mind, that the circumflances, in
which the people of theTe dates were placed at the
peace of 1783, were different from thofe of any
other nation; and that there were fome peculiari-
ties in them, confidered with refpect to Britifli af-
fairs, which rendered it a ferious queflion, whether
they did not require a particular arrangement. It
is true, that the citizens of the United States had
*' renounced the duties of Britifh fubjeds,'' or, in
other words, that they had aflbmed an independent
llation : but this meafure was fully juftified, if we
may fo fpeak, by Britain's abandoning the ground,
which produced the war— /A^ ajjcrtion of the right
to bind the people of America in all cafes whatjoever.
It will be acknowledged, too, that we manufactu-
red lefs at that time than any other nation in the
world; confcquently we were a more profitable
commercial connexion. We fhipped, in propor-
tion to our population, more raw materials, and
provifions, which they want, than any. other na-
tion ; for it appears we load 650,000 tons of fhip-

127

ping, and our cargoes were then almoll entirely
unmanufactured. We were, by much, the ftrit cuf-
tomer for Britifli manuraciures ; for it appears by
their exports for 1784, that the greateft value was
fhipped to the United States, being £^. 3,64^,0007,
fterling, including no raw articles ; and that the
next greateft foreign Ihipment was to Holland, be-
ing only £. 1,277,480, part of which was for Ger-
man confumption, and foine part probably was in
raw articles — and that in the year 1785, alfo, the
greatefl value was fliipped to the United States, be-
ing £. 2,308,023, fterling, and that the next greateft
foreign fhipment was iikewife to Holland, amount-
ing to /^. 1,605,303, part of which was not manu-
fadures. The exports to Rufiii^in each of thofe
two years were lefs than half the exports to New-
York or Pennfylvania. It is to be remembered,
too, how very great a proportion of the Britifh ex-
port trade thefe fhipments to America conftituted.
In 1784, theirwholeexportationswere^'. 15,733,847
and in 1785, £. 16,770,228*.

In addition to merchandize from Britain, v;c took
very large quantities of linen and other dry goods
from Ireland, and an enormous value in rum and

* Recent and authentic infoi-mation w?.r.-ants the afTerticn,
that the United States, for fix years fubfequcnt to the treaty of
Paris in 1783, imported more goods from Crcat-Eritain than were
imported from thence by any other foreign country, by the diffe-
re?ice of at leaft half a million of fterling money, and probably
wore, though their exports to foreign nations were coiv.pofed in
part of our tobacco, rice, indigo, 5cc,

128

other produce of their Weft India iflands : andfur-
ther we were a nation of planters and farmers,
whofe quantities of unimproved and uncultivated
lands were manifold greater than thofe which were
or are yet brought into life, and confequently a
great and conftant demand might have been rea-
fonably expefted to exift for thofe fupplies, which
Britain, uponreafonable terms of intercourfe^ would
be able to furnifli. Our diftant fituation, and the
tranfportatioii of goods, which will lade 650,000
tons of fhipping, were circumftances favourable to
the carrying trade of our liberal connexions and al-
lies, which no other country prefented to Great-
Britain. — We have hitherto fuffered her to partici-
pate freely in thi^ for it appears, that in the lad
year, 230,000 tons of Britifh veflels, a fourth of all
their private fhips, were loaded in our ports.

If then the United States aBudly furnifli the
moft folid items of Britifh foreign commerce — if the
raw materials they afford be the precious elements
of a large proportion, of the Britifh manufaftures —
if our demands from that nation be not only much
the largeft, but alfo of kinds the mod profitable
to them — if our peculiar fituation would have
drawn us, in a greater degree, than any other
country to agriculture, and from manufactures — if
our language, our religion, our theories of liber-
ty and law, were in many ref'peds the fame
as theirs — the idea of our being a people peculiarly
circumftanced, fuch a people as exift not elfewhere
cannot, in candour, be treated as fanciful : and,_

129

indeed, did not the ferioufnefs of a fubjeQ, which
involves the interefts of two nations, fupprefs every
feeling, which might tend to obfcure them, the in-
decorum and acrimony, with which this and other
pages of "the obfervations" are marked, ought not
to pafs without due animadverfion.

The profecution of this examination will be
continued in a fubfequent paper. In the mean
time, what has been already thrown out, may be
duly and temperately confidered. The prefent
feafon isinterelting andcritical. The policy, which
the United States ought to obferve, in the legijla-
tion of commerce^ is likely to be formally difculfed.
At fuch a moment, fads, accurately afcertained
and candidly Hated, are of the utmolt importance ;
for how fhall we fo well reafon, as from what we
know ? It is to be defired, that the light of indif
putable truth may enable our own legiflators and
thofe of foreign nations, to difcover the ground 0£
common intereft, and that no erroneous maxims^
however fanQioned, may clofe one avenue of mu-
tually beneficial communication.

SECTION II.

I T was premifed, in the firft feQion, that no
particular attention would be paid to order in this
examination. We fhall therefore proceed to re-
markupon timber, fcantling, boards, fhingles, flaves^
heading, and hoops, under the general denomina-
tion of

130

LUMBER,

Thefe articles are of the greatefl; importance to
the Irifh provifion trade, to every branch of the
fifhery, to Britifh navigation, commerce and manu-
faftures in general, and particularly to the profita-
ble management of Weft-India eftates. Lord Shef-
field is of opinion, that " moft of them may be im-
ported from Canada and Nova-Scotia, on as good,
if not better terms, than from thefe Hates ;" and
that Nova-Scotia will, at leaft for fome time, have
little elfe to depend on, but her fiflieries,provifions
and cutting of lumber/' But the experience of
1790, feven years after thofe provinces began to
regain order, inftruQs us, that there were fhipped
in that year, from the United Slates to Nova-Sco-
tia alone, 540,000 of flaves and heading, 924,980
feet of boards, 285,000 fhingles, and 16,000 hoops.

The legiflature of Jamaica (the imports of which
ifland diretUy from the United States, might be ef-
timated, in 1784, at half our fhipments to the Bri-
tifh Weft-Indies) accompanied their addrefs to the
parliament of Britain, with proofs that only 20
bundles of hoops, 301,324 fiiingles and ftaves, and
510,088 feet of lumber, were imported into that
ifland from Canada, Nova- Scotia, and St. John's,
between the 3d of April 1783, and the 26th of Oc-
tober 1784, a term of nearly nineteen months! It
appears probable, then, that they did not fuppiy their
Weft India brethren with more than one half of
what they import, at this mature ftage of their fet-

tlements, from us. It is to be remembered, that
Jamaica drew no fupplies of our lumber through
the Dutch and Danifh iflands; though the more
windward iflands at that time did. From 1768,
to 1772, only 36,100 fhingles and flaves, and
27,235 feet of lumber, were (hipped annually from
the northern Britifh colonies to the ifland of Ja-
maica.

In another page of the obfervations, we are told,
that hoops, ftaves, and boards may be fent out to
the Weft-Indies from England, *' becaufe the
freight is lower than from the United States."
Here again, the writer of the obfervations is unfor-
tunate in his propofed means of fupply : for it ap-
pears, that there were (hipped, in the year above
mentioned, to the European dominions of Great-
Britain, 13,306,000 ftaves and heading, 3,000,000
feet of boards, 4,000,000 feet of timber, 253,000
fhingles, and 6000 of hoops. We learn, too, from
Mr. Anderfon's hiftory of commerce, that there
vere imported from England to the Weft-Indies,
in 1787, the value of j£^8o : 12 : 5 fterling and no
more, in boards, ftaves and other lumber, towards
the fupply of the demand of thofe iflands, which
lord Sheffield admits to have been, in 1770, about
thirty-five millions of boards, fcantling, ftaves and
hoops, and fifteen millions and a half of ftiingles.
It will appear to him an extraordinary fad, (and
muft' excite a fmile in the gr3iVt?i countenance,)
that the balance of the lumber account between
Great Britain and her Weft-India colonies, is aQu-

132

ally againft the former : for we learn, from another
of Mr. Anderfon's documents, that there were fliip-
ped thither from thofe colonies, between Michael-
mas 1 786, and the fame day in 1 787, £''^OjO : 1 3 ; 1 1
fterling, in boards, Raves, and timber. t But if the
project of fliipping from Europe were as rational,
as it is wild, what would become of the low freights,
upon whicbi it is chiefly founded ? The lumber ac-
tually taken by the Britifh Weft Indies from the
United States, " exhaufted," as this writer mifre-
prefents them to be, would load all the vefl'els that
depart from Great Britain to the Weft Indies ; for
it would fill above 100,000 tons of fhipping ; and a
large quantity of tonnage would ftill be required for
the coal, malt-liquors, wines, loaf fugar, candles,
foap, provifions, cordage, bale goods, earthen ware,
nails, tallow, lime, carriages, &c. which are con-
ftantly fhipped thither from Europe.

The prices of lumber, in London and the United
Stales have been gravely compared; and Decem-
ber 1783, was taken as the common feafon. It is
unneceflary to lofe time in difproving an allegation
about a period fo long paffed, which, however,
could be fatisfaftorily done, or to animadvert up-
on the fuppreflion of the price of boards in which
we had fo much more the advantage. Our public
returns from the fcveral ports, which cannot be
fuppofed to undervalue the article, nor indeed do
they vary materially from the fhipping prices give

* Thcfe were probably for dunnage, or the ftovvage of cargoes
of fugar, coffee, pimento, &c.

133

the medium rate of twelve and two-thirds dollars
ox £ .2. : 17 fterling for red oak and white oak ftaves,
and heading, fit for barrels, hogflieads, and pipes.
The prices of Raves vary exceedingly in the differ-
ent markets of the United States ; and that, which was
fele6ted by the writer of the obfervations, is known
not to be among the cheapeft. Even there the ar-
ticle is at this time thirty per cent, below the quo-
tation in the obfervations. But we have already
noticed the very large exportation of lumber from
the United States to the Britifh European domini-
ons, which alone is a fufficient contradiQion of the
fa6l, and is a fatisfaQorv correction of the obfer-
vations.

»34

The following ilatement of the prices in St. Domingo and Jamaica
will not be deemed uninterefting, as tending to (hew the rates
at which French and American veflels fupply the former, and
Eritlfn vefiels fupply the latter, although the home dominions of
France were incapacitated from furnlfhing their ufual quantity
of provifions.

At Kingfton in Jamaica, 1 790.
June. Oa.

dolls, dolls. dolls

Super, flour, per lb.
Common do. do.
Ship bread, do.
Indian meal, do.
Rice, per 100 lbs.
Pork, do.
Hams, per lb.
Butter, do
Pine boards,
R. O. hhd. ftavcs,
Wooden hoops.

10.

24.
24.
30.

to 10.

7.50

9-37i

6.75

S'^S

4.50

S'^S^

4.50

3-37i

4. 2\
14.

,I2i

.161

•15

27.

I36.

Nov.
dolls. dolls.
7.50 to S.25
7.12 to 7.50

4.87

5-25

4.50 to 5.25

12.

15-

30.

27.

30-

At Cape Francois*, 1 790.

July. Oa. Nov.

dolls. dolls, dolls, dolls.

Superfine flour, per bbl.
Common do. do.
Ship bread,
Indian meal, do.
Rice, per 108 lb.
Beef, do.
Hams, per lb.
Butter, do.
Pine boards,
R. O. hhd. flavesf.

N. B. Wooden hoops vary in Cape-Francois from 14 to 28 dol-
lars.

10.

6.50

6 to 6.50

5 to 5.45

3.52

3-64

2.50

Z'So

2.91

6.6

7. to .8

•9

i 9.

.12

15.76

12.12

10.91

14.

16.

12.

* The duties, from one to twelve and a half per cent, are in-
cluded.

f The French Wefli-Indlans ufe very few white oak hhd. ftaves,
making little rum, or taffia, and having a fufficiency of old cafks,
in which brandy has been imported.

135

It is not eafy to afcertain the precife degree in
^vllich the Britifh Weft-India iflands are fupplied
with lumber from their own dominions. But much
light is thrown upon the enquiry, by the information
of the Jamaica legiflature: audit appears, that the
Britifh European ports furnifh none. Their north-
ern colonies are proved to import from us now,
more than they exported in 1784: and as our re-
turn of exports of lumber to the Weft-India iflands,
for the laft year, exceeds the quantity fliipped thi-
ther before the revolution, the fupplies from Cana-
da and Nova-Scotia, even now, muft neceffarily be
very inconfiderable*.

* After the firft publication of this examination a proclamation
of the governor of Nova Scotia was received in the United States,
permitting the importation of every fpeices of lumber, from hence
into that province, for fix months of 179 1, during all v^^hich the
St. Lawrence is frje from ice. As they would have preferred to
draw their fupplies during the term of the licence, from Canada*
if that country could have furnifhed them — and as lumber does not
depend on feafons, and is not, like crops of grain, liable to fudden
failures, an irrefragable proof is afforded, that Canada cannot fup-
ply the demand of Nova Scotia, much lefs of the Weil-Indies, and
that Nova Scotia wants population, or timber, or both, to enable
her to furnilh lumber enough /or her oivn demand. It fecms highly
probable, ^^ J/ ivithout our lumber , the Weji- India trade of the northern.
Britifh colonifs ivouIdfuJTer deeply, they having neither grain, flour,
bifcuit, nor lumber, to fill up the veflels, which take out their par_
eels of fifh ; and, it is alfo probable, that a prohibition on our part,
were we inclined to it, would afFe<ft their fifheries, by enhancing
the price of cafks for its package. The cofl: of caflvs in Nova Scotia,
at this time, is a heavier charge on their fifh, than our impofl, a«
it now flands.

The opening of the nothern Britifh colonies has been repeated
twice fince, and a fimilar meafure has been recently adopted in the
Britifn Well-India iflands. A. D. 1793.

136

The llatc of (Georgia, which is penetrated by large
rivers, would probably rurnilh more lumber and
limber than ilie Britilb dominions will require in
the next twenty years. It can be cut at all lealbns
from tiic nature of the climate, and her ports,
which are nioie conveniently lituated, to I'upply
the Well.In(lies(though lord Shelheld fays, thole
oF Canada are more lb !) are open in the middle of
winter. The improvement of the inland naviga-
tion of South-Carolina will bring into the abun-
dant lumber-market of Charlellon, a new and large
fupply. North-Carolina has very great magazines
of limber, and the openings of the Paiquoiank ca-
nal will give it to all the ports of the Chelapeak.
The middle and eailern Hates are more cxhaurted ;
l)Ut large (]uantities will long be exported from the
Delaware, much larger from the liudl(.)n, and dill
greater from the province of Maine.

KoVA-ScOTl A AND CanADA.

Great reliance is placed by this and other Eng-
glilh writers on the fupi)lies, which may be deri-
ved by the Well-India illands from the northern
IJritilh colonics. It has been already (hown, that
they hitherto afford little or no lumber. Of rice
and naval (lores they cannot furnifh any, producing
none. Ol" Hour, Canada can yet have fupplied
but a fmall proportion, having very few mill, hav-
ing to fupport cattle through long winters, and the
climate preventing Ihipments during half the

yr-ar**. Tlio voyage h a very heavy one, bcii^
loii^ and oij a (iiiglc freight. Nova Scotia eail
never hipply iiuieh oi thin articlCi and ha» taken
f'roin the United Slates above 40,000 harreln oi'
njeal arid bread, within the hilt year, bchdej* Ho^oOO
buliiels of grain. t (>anada in too reniotc to (end
iupplics ofcattlc% hogtt, (hecp, and horles; and our
exports of thcfe aniniaU to Nova Scotia, ptove
ihey liave nt)t yet any to (pare. i)i horned cattle
899, of horfcM 12, of Iheep 2t'//\4, of hugu nGj,
and of poiiltry 1^376, were (hipped from the United
States to the northern Hritifh coh)nie«, in a little
more than one year, Ironi the autinnn of ijHij U)
that of 1790. Very little beef, pork, haunj, ton^tn-/-,
tallow, lard, butler, chcefe, cawdleu, or (oap, can be
(pared to the We(l-Indie«, by eountriej* which im-
port hc:aL ealllc, hoi'/., fheej), and jj(niliry.

The documcrus adduced by the Jamaica legifla-
ture went further to fhow, that between the ^jd of
April, 1783, and the 26th of October, 1784, they
had received it) that populous and cxler»(ive illiud,
from Canada, St. Johti'.'ij; and Nova Scotia, no
flour — no Indian corn, bcanu, or oat»— no fliip
bread or other bi(cuit — no Indian or other meal-
no hor(e«<, cattle, fheep, hogi or poultry- — 10 bat-

* Canadian fK>iir will alway, hr fuhjf^ to fpoljln",
\ic mudc in I'umiatr,

I 'Hicrc arc fewer mills there than in Canada.
t Mt^miny^ Nt'W-nrunfwK'Ic.

13^

relsofrice — 180 bufhels of potatoes — 751 bogC-
heads, 37 tierces, 39 half tierces, and 457 barrels of
fifli, 45 barrels of oil, 100 oars, 710 ftiaken calks
(or puncheon packs) 21 mafts and fpars, with the
fmall parcels of lumber mentioned under that head,
and no other goods. They alfo iliow, that all the
imports of Jamaica from Canada, Nova Scotia, and
St. John's,* were, on an average of the five years,
from 1768 to 1772 but 33 barrels of flour, 7 hogf-
heads of fifh, 8 barrels of oil, 3 barrels of tar, pitch
and turpentine, 36 thoufand of fhingles and ftaves,
and 27,235 feet of lumber.

How far it has been in the power of the northern
Britifh colonies, or of the Britifli European domi-
nions to furnifh their Weft-India iflands with flour,
bread and Indian corn will further appear from the
following fads. It is ftated by lord Sheffield, that
there were imported from hence into thofe iflands,
in a year of great plenty and trade, before the re-
volution, 132,426 barrels of flour and bifcuit ; but
our returns for 1^^ months,, already mentioned,
fhow that their late demand from us in that term,
was 139,286 barrels of flour alone, and 77,982 bar-
rels of Indian meal, middlings, fliip-ftuff', rye meal^
and bifcuit. Th-eir former annual fupply of Indi-
an corn, received from hence, was 401,471 buftiels ;
and their recent importations prove to have been
516,794 bufliels, in the fpace of time ftated in our
late return.

* Meaning New-Brunf\vick.

^39

It is unnecefTary to dwell longer upon the fup-
plies which the remaining Britifh American colo-
nies were expeded to afford to their Weft-India
plantations. An experiment of years has been fair-
ly made — The returns from their cuftom houfes,
and from thofe of the iflands, will inform the go,
vernment of Great-Britain what they really furnifli
at this time, and the proportion it bears to the whole
demand. This head will therefore be paffed over
"with the reiteration of a few remarks — that the
Britifh Weft-India iflands are proved to have been
indebted to the United States in 1790, for more
lumber, more grain, and more bread and flour^
than they imported from thefe ftates before the re-
volution— that their remaining colonies can there-
fore have furniflied them, in their prefent mature
ftate, but in very fmall quantities — that thofe colo-
nies have required of us near half the amount in cat-
tle, hogs and fheep, which the Weft-India iflands
formerly took off* — and that the high prices of fait
and fmoked provifions in the Britifh Weft-Indies
which are greater than thofe in the French iflands
where thofe articles are prohibited or heavily duti-
ed, fully prove, that they depend for them on Ire-
land alone, and receive no fenfible relief from the
Britifh American colonies. Their inability to far-
nifh fupplies of provifions to the "Weft-India iflands
is fairly to be prefumed from the proclamation of
the governor of Nova Scotia, already mentioned,
"which, befides the article of lumber, permits the

* Btfides what go to upper an.d lower Canada by laud,

140

importation from the United States, of grain, flour,
bilcuit, cattle, flieep, poultry, &c. through the whole
feafon of 1791, when the St. Lawrence and bay oF
Fundy are certainly navigable, and the province
of Canada is exporting whatever it has of furplus
produce.

LI ^' SEED OIL.

This article is faid, in the obfervations, to be
made in fome parts of America, from the refufe of
the flaxfeed, and that the quantity is trifling com-
pared with the confumption. It is added, that con-
iiderable quantities went from Britain to America,
before the war; and the Englifh nation are left to
believe, that this will continue to be the cafe,
though they aQually import feed from hence to
make oil.

The cultivation of flax is exceedingly increafed
in this country, particularly in interior fituations,
and is very general. Oil mills having become more
numerous, the feed in inland places is manufactured
into oil. This will bear an expenceoftraufportation,
which fo bulky an article as the feed, cannot fuftain.
Hence the prefent price of linlced oil, after it is
brought down to the Philadelphia market, is about
2/1 fteriing, while the price in London is from 2/'^
to 2/4. The Irifh demand for our feed is about
42,000 hogfheads : after deducing that, the remain-
der muft be made into oil here, or fhipped to Eu-
rope for that purpofe. This manufaQory being

141

efFetled by water mills, there can be no doubt that
the former difpofition of the furplus feed will be
made.

painters' colours.

Several of the ochres are found in abundance
in Virginia, Connefticut, and other parts of the
United States. The interior fituation of the Vir-
ginia lead mine, which now yields very copioufly,
will foon occafion the manufadure of white lead,
and of all the preparations of lead, from the fame
caufe that has been mentioned in the cafe of line-
feed oil, and rye fpirits — economizing in the tranf-
portation. The patent colours have been imi-
tated with great fuccefs. The trade with Holland
and the Hanfe towns, as alfo with the Medi-
terranean and the Eaft-Indics, gives us many co-
lours, which were formerly imported from Britain,
like apothecaries articles, at immenfe advances.

COACHES AND OTHER CARRIAGES,

The importation of thefe was formerly very
great. Virginia, in 1788, had 360 coaches and
chariots, 365 phaetons and other pleafurable four-
wheeled carriages, and 1,967 one-horfe chairs and
folas. New-Jerfey, in 1789, had 38 coaches, cha-
riots, and phaetons, 1,549 one-horfe chairs and fo-
las, and a very great number of plain decent light-
waggons, on {teel or wooden fprings. From thefe
fa6ls, and fimilar truths in the other parts of the

142

union, it is certain that the pleafurable carriages of
the United States amount to a very large fum.
Though to be obtained on credit from Britain, no
more than /". 5,000 fterling in carriages, or parts
of carriages, were imported in the year following
Auguft 1789, including thofe of numerous travel-
lers and emigrators : and 220 carriages were ex-
ported to foreign countries, within the fame year.
All the wood and iron work, the harnefs and other
leathern materials, frequently the brafs work,
fringe, lace, and lately the plated work, are made
in America. Lord Sheffield feems to have expeft-
ed a confiderable importation of thefe articles: but
he did not advert to the poffibility, that the manur
fafturers themlelves would emigrate to us ; which
is every month taking place.

*« MEDICINES AND DRUC8

^* will be imported from Great-Britain," fay« the
writer of the obfervations, " on account of the
knowledge, which the phyhcians, furgeons and
apothecaries, in the American ftates, have of the
method of preparing and procuring them there."
Many drugs and medicines are imported without
preparation. There is, in many important inftan-
ces, no difference in the modes of different na-
tions. The Materia Medica, Chymiftry, &c. are
taught in America from the books of Europe.
Men of the requifite Ikill from other countries are
to be found in moft of our principal feaports. To
thefe many of the chymical and Galenic operations

i43

•f Holland, France, and Germany are not un-
known. Saltpetre, muilc, camphor, rhubarb, and
other Eaft-India articles in this line, have been
fliipped occafionally from the United States, in
codfiderable parcels. Bark, fulphur, balfam ca-
pivi, and many other medicinal produftions, have
been obtained from Spain, the Mediterranean, the
Weft-Indies, and other places. Holland partici-
pates largely in our importations of chymical pre-
parations; but many, which ufed to be imported,
are begun to be manufa6lured here : and exporta-
tions of them to advantage, have, in fome inftances
taken place. The knowledge which our medical
gentlemen have acquired abroad, and in their pro-
feflional reading at home, of the methods of procu-
ring drugs, has been communicated to our mer-
chants: and their information of the methods of
preparing chymical articles, has been often put in
pra6lice here. There is, no doubt, a confiderable
trade in thefe commodities from Great-Britain.
But it is, even now affeded by the above circum-
ftances, and is not by any means a monopoly.
From our free and enterprifing commerce, the
natural productions of the country, and chymical
fkill, it muft decreafe every year. Great-Britain
poffefles, from nature, lefs of thefe commodities
than the United States. Foreign trade, and fluU
employed at home, will give us a great fhare of
thofe, which are not fpontaneous produ6lions of our
various foil and climate.

144

KAILS) SPIKES, AND OTHER MANUFACTURES OP IRON. AND
THOSE OF STEEL,

are placed fecond on the lift of articles, in which
it is alledged Great-Britain will Tuftain little com-
petition : and lord Sheffield remarks, that " what-
ever we make of them, is at the expenfe of at leaft
three times the amount of what the fame articles
could be imported for from Europe/' The iron
branch is highly important and growing in the
United States. In Maffachufetts, there were fe-
venty-fix iron works, many of them fmail, in 1784.
The Virginia works make above 5,300 tons of iron.
The flitting and rolling mills of Pennfilvania, are
afcertained to cut and roll 1500 tonsor 3,36o,ooolbs.
per annum : and fo completely do they obviate the
obje6tion of manual labour, which is conllanily
urged againft American manufactures, that they
employ but twenty five hands. In that ftate, there are
alfo fixteen furnaces and thirty-feven large forges.
In New Jerfey alone, in the year 1789, the number
of forges were feventy-nine and of furnaces eight.
And though the details are not fo well known, they
are very numerous in Maryland and moft of the
Hates. Thele works are annually increafing, and
particularly in interior fituations. The nails and
ipikes confumed yearly in the United States, (cal-
culating on 4,000,000 people, at ten to a houfe,
including negroes, which gives 400,000 houfes)
allowing ten pounds for the average ufe of all the
perfons living in each houfe, in building, repair-
ing, fencing, and in their bufinefs, and manufa6tur-

ing, would be 4,ooo,ooolbs. Of this quantity there
were imported in the returned year, i,8oo,ooolbs :
and about 2,2005000lbs. muft, therefore, have
been made at home. The remainder of the flit and
rolled iron is either exported or made into tire,
hoops, fprings for carriages, or fome other fubfti-
tutes for foreign imported articles. Ship-building
alfo demands very large quantities of iron work.
Ploughfhears, carriages, axes, faws, hoes, fpades, flio-
vels, kitchen utenfils, and many otherarticles employ
the American workers in this raw material. About
one half of the fteel, conCumed in the United States,
is home made, and new furnaces are building at this
moment. The works being few, and the importa-
tion afcertained, this fa6l is known to be accurate.
Bar iron before the revolution, was ufually Cold
for fixty four dollars. It fell, after the war, to the
fame price; and large quantities of iron in bars
and pigs were exported. The progrels of manu-
factures has raifed thefe articles to the higheft pri-
ces ever known in peace ; and only 200 tons in bars,
^^^ 3*555 ^0"s in pigs were exported in thirteen
months and a half of 1789, and 1790. The ex-
portation of this quantity was principally to throw
the requifite weight into the bottoms of the fhips la-
den with cargoes of tobacco or lumber. Lord Shef-
field Hates, that we fliipped 2,592 tons of bar iron,
and 4,624 tons of pig metal per annum, in leveral
years before the revolution, when it is known our
commerce and population were not at the higheft.
It is alfo to be obl'erved, that we now import
confiderable quantities of bar iron from the Baltic

and its vicinity, particularly into the eaftem ftates.
One lliourand two hundred and eighty-eight tons of
bar iron, were imported from St. Peterfburg alone,
in the year 1790, and above forty tons of iron hoops
and nail rods. From thcfe fafts may be colle(:ted
convincing proofs of the ftate of the iron manufac-
tures of this country, (Ironglv oppofed to the pre-
fumptions of lord Shetlield, as well with rcfpcB. to
the dearnefs of thoie manufa(;lurcs, as the mono,
poly of our fupplies.

FLOUR AND WHEAT,

Thefe ilSeftimable commodities arc not, in the
opinion of lord Sheffield, the beft flaples for the
United States to depend on ; becaufe as he obferves,
in general the demand in Europe is uncertain. He
again repeats his unfounded notion of a competi*
tion between us and Nova Scotia for the fupply of
Europe, in thcfe articles; and adds, that it is a for-
tunate confequence of American independence,
that the Britifh European iflands may regain the
fupply of their Well-Indies, with bread and flour,
and that they can furnifli them cheaper than we. In
regard to the profpeds from Nova Scotia, enough
has been already faid, and particularly till they dif-
cover fymptoms of internal refources for their own
ule, by cealing to import grain and flour from the
United States. As to the European corn trade,
authentic and important information, indeed, is to
be derived from a report of the Britifh privy coun-
cil, of March 1790, which is faid to have been

drawn by lord IIawkn)ury. It is wifely c)hlcrvcd,
in tiiat report, that the culture of grain is the moll
important objc8, that can receive the public atten-
tion : and it is dated that the demand of Great Bri-
tain, for flour and grain, has produced an ave-
rage balance againd tiie nation, of /'. 291,000 Uer-
ling, for the lad nineteen years, aUhougii from the
year 1746, to the year 1765, they had annually
gained, by their corn trade, £'.651,000 dcrling on
a medium. Ireland, it is true, has greatly increa-
fcd its exports of grain, flour, and bilcuit, but by
no means in proportion to this falling oil by Great
Britain, and its whole exports of Hour and grain
are much lefs than our diipmcnts to the Briiidi Wed
Indies. Their lordfhips proceed to date, that in
confequcncc of information received by them from
the principal corn countries of PLuropc, tliey arc of
opinion, that the quantity of grain railed in Eu-
rope, in common years, is not more than equal to
the ordinary confumption of its inhabitants; and
that, in the event of a failure of their crops, a fiip-
ply can only be cxpeilcd Jrom America, In veriHca-
tion of this formal olhcial communication, on a
I'ubje6l of fuch high importance, we find, thai the
influence of the late Icarcity in France, not only
pervaded all Europe, but was extended to the mod
interior counties of thei'c dates. Wheat was I'old
on that occafion three hundred miles from th<,' ocean,
for prices which have been ufually acceptable in
our fca-port towns : and at the places of ihipment,
it was advanced to rates beyond what had ever oc-
curred fincc the ftttlcmcnt of the country.

148

When we remember, that by grain liquors ^we
may avoid the purchafe of eleven millions and a
half of gallons of the fpirits, or ingredients for fpi-
rits of foreign nations ; that by grain thefe ftates
are rendered the alternate ground of dependance of
every European nation, in time of need; that we
are prote8ed from the poflibility of dreadful famine
by this bleffed production ; that grain is the raw
material in which fome confiderable manufacturers;
work, and which all muft neceflarily confume; we
mud fmile at the ideas which lord Sheffield has ha-
zarded, in regard to thofe precious ftaples, wheat
and flour.

GUNPOWDER,

It is aflerted, will be imported cheaper than it
can be manufa6lured in America. The price of
this important article has been reduced in the Phi-
ladelphia market to fixteen dollars, or /'•S: 12 fler-
ling per 100 wt. by the free importation of brim-
ftone and faltpetre from India and other countries.
Our merchants ufually pay for it in England at the
rate of 75 to 76 (hillings fterling, after deducing
the drawback on exportation. Twenty-one pow-
der mills have been ereBed in Penfylvania alone,
fince the year 1768 or 1770 — much the greater
part of them fince the commencement of the revo-
lution war : four new ones are now building in that
ftate, one at Baltimore, and others in different parts
of the United States; and it is certain they will be
multiplied in proportion to the demand, whether

149

it be for home confumption or exportation. Of
the quantity commonly on hand in the Philadelphia
magazine, not more than feven per cent, is of fo-
reign manufacture*. Saltpetre and fulphur are
found in confiderable quantities, particularly in
the interior parts of Virginia: but at prefent the
commercial fupplies are fo plentiful and cheap,
that our internal refources are little ufed. Salt-
petre is cheaper in Philadelphia than in London.

THE ABILITY OF GrE AT-BrIT A I N TO MAKE HER SHIPS
THE CARRIERS FOR THE UnITED StATES.

It is explicitly declared, in the 39th page of
lord Sheffield's introduction, that the adoption of
the ground propofcd by him, will infure to Britifli
fhips the carrying trade of the United 6'tates; " for
(he adds) it is certain, if our navigation laws be
maintained, it will not anfwcr the Americans to
keep many fhips." This it will be admitted, is to
us, if true, a very interefting pofition, and demands
our mod ferious attention. It will, however, be
very eafy to fhow, that the private (hipping of the
United States does not depend upon Britifh laws.
The tables, which accompany the report on the
American fiflieries, from the department of ftate,
clearly prove, that we are not dependent on Great-
Britain for that branch of commerce. In the re-
gulation of our coafting trade, which employs
above 100,000 tons of fliipping, and which will

* None, but American powder is now received there. A. D.
1793-

150

conflantly increafe with our population, manufac-
tures, and ufe of coal, Britifh laws can have no
operation. In our commerce with the Baltic, and
the North, with all the Netherlands, the Hanfe
towns, France, Spain, Portugal, through the
llreights, with moll parts of Africa and India, and
the colonies of the European nations, except the
Britifli, their navigation a8; cannot affeQ us. It
appears moreover, that our fhips are fo " many,"
as to have amounted to 360,000 tons of veflels
laden in our ports, by a return which is incom-
plete, while thofe of Great-Britain and her
dominions were 225,000 tons. But it is pofli-
ble, that confiderable deduftions from the Bri-
tifh tonnage may happen. There is little doubt,
that the diminutions of our importations from
their dominions, which have taken place, in regard
to China merchandize, and other India goods, Ita-
lian, Ruffian, Dutch, and German goods, paper,
nails, flieet iron, (leel, fhoes, and boots, gunpow-
der, lead, coal, fait, malt liquors, loaf and brown
fugars, coffee, cocoa and fpirituous liquors, by
reafon of our intercourfe with other nations, and
the great improvement of our own refources and
manufaBures, will be followed by further commer-
cial acquifitions from liberal nations, by the con-
llant introdu61ion of new foreign manufaftures,
and the difcovery and attainment of new internal
refources. If, for example, cotton be raifed and
imported, and fpinning mills be ereQed, Manchefter
importations will decreafe : if flax and hemp be
raifed and imported, in greater quantities, and fla^

and hemp fpinning mills be ereBed, fail-cloth fneet-
ing, and fhirting linens, checks, oznabrigs, tabic
and towel linen, Sec. will be imported more fpar-
ingly. If by thefe and other means, our imports
from Great-Britain fhould be finally reduced to
fuch a fum, as will purchafe only fo much rice, to-
bacco, and other articles as its people confume,
thofe articles will not be fhipped indireftly to fo-
reign countries, through Britifh ports, as is now
the cafe. Thefe indired ihipments afford Britiih
veflels more than an equal chance in the competi-
tion with ours from America to England; becaufe
the property is generally on Englifh account,
and it gives them fo far the command of the car-
riage from England to other parts of Europe.
From thefe circumftances, it will be perceived*
that it is interefting to our private fhipping, and
confequently to our fuccefs in the eftablilhment
of a navy, that we continue by prudent and
{alutary means, to decreafe our importations from
each foreign country, fo as in a greater degree to
equalize them with the confumption, which that
country aftually makes of our produQions: this,
however, it is conceived, ought not to be attempt-
ed, by any precipitate or coercive means; but by
the eilablifliment of our mercantile credit in other
countries, by commercial enterprife, capital and
and manufaduring induftry.

A fecond caufe, which renders the intercourfe
in the iliape of exportation to Great-Britain inordi-
nately great, is to be found in the old private debts

152

due to that country from this. Thefe, fo far a5
they will be paid by money or goods, are confide-
rably diminifhed. The rife of our flocks, and the
fales of them to foreigners, have enabled many to
lefl'en thofe debts : and Britifli fubjeds will conti-
nue to find it their interefl to buy into them. Thefe
are payments, which occafion only a remittance of
the interefl; and the commutation of private for
public debts is therefore to be defired. Part of the
old debts which remain due to the Englifh mer-
chants, mufl be received in the foil and buildings
of this country. When thefe fhall be accepted by
the creditor, they will flill remain immoveable: and
he will find himfelf, or his child, transformed into
an American freeholder, to his profit and that of
the United States, though to the injury, and fome-
limes the ruin of the unfortunate debtor. This
change of the creditor's fituation, will not be un-
pleafing to a liberal mind of any country, and, if
properly uridefflood, may greatly meliorate the
profpcfts of the family and connexions of many in
Britain, who are concerned in American debts. A
country, of great native flrength, becoming ener-
getic, intelligent, free, not difpofed to provoke ei-
ther infults or injuries, and in a fituation not to
fubmit to a wanton impofition of either, holds out
as great promifes of human happinefs, as any, of
which the foreign creditor can have been a citizen.
He is fure of a kind reception, and of the protec-
tion of the laws and conflitution in his perfon, pro-
perty, and religion.

153

A third caufcj which has produced an extraor-
dinary intercourfe in the fhape of importations from
Great-Britain, has been the want of credit from
other nations. We now annually import from
that kingdom about 900,000 dollars, in articles not
of its growth, produce, or manufacture; and
though we have reduced this from about 2,200,000
dollars fince the feparation of the two countries,
there is yet that great value expenfively, becaufe
circuitoufly, imported. The purfuit of this accuf-
tomed track, eftablifhed in the time of the old Br.-
tifh monopoly, has been one caufe of thefe unna-
tural importations — but the chief caufe was the cre-
dit we found from England. The Britifh merchants
will probably continue to afford the greateft acco-
modations of this kind; but it is evident, that the
citizens of other countries will furnifli us with cre-
dits, and fometimes in more eligible fhapes. They
will give us their cafh articles and their coin, to be
employed in ready-money trades at home and
abroad, in manufactures and foreign commerce. In
proof of this may be adduced the refpondentia cre-
dits in India and China, the purchafes into our fe-
veral bank (locks, the inveftment of monies in our
lands,* and in our navigation, trade, and manufac-
tures. The medium imports from Great-Britain for
feveral years before the revolution, appear, from
European accounts, to be to the medium imports for

* Thefe continue in numerous and great inftances — 6,500,000
acres of our new lands have been- purchafcd by foreigners within
the lall two years. A. D. 1793.

154

an equal term of years antecedent to 179O, as 27 to
23, though our population has probably almoft
doubled ; and though much larger importations
than heretofore, by perfons intending to remain
here, have alfo contributed to fwell the quantity in
the latter term. What is to follow in this way,
time, it is believed, will very quickly fhow.

In addition to the foregoing caufes, which feem
likely to occafion a diminution of the proportion of
fliipping employed direQly and indirectly by Great-
Britain in the American trade (including the ex-
portation of our produ8ions from the Britifb port*
to other markets in Europej one other, which does
not feem to have fufficiently engaged their atten-
tion, may produce, it is believed, very confider-
able efi'efts. The regulations of the Britifti naviga-
tion a6l do not appear to have been duly examined
by other European powers, with a view to the
adoption of fuch of them as will apply beneficially
to their own affairs. If they have had effefts fo
favourable to the fhipping and naval power of Bri-
tain, it ispoffiblcj and highly probable they might
be, in a greater or lefs degree, beneficial to other
countries. The prefent appears a fit feafon for fuch
an examination in America : and we cannot fuffer,
if we enter on it with temper and difcretion. That
it would diminifh the number of Britifb veffels, for
example, if the United States and all other maritime
countries, fhould deem it expedient to enaft into a
law of their refpeBive nations, the claufe of the
BritiJJi Jlatute, hy xvhich the importation of all

^55

foreign goods is confined to native bottoms and
to thofe of the nation producing the articles, can-
not be doubted. Whether this regulation will
be convenient to the United States — to France
— to Spain — to Portugal — to Ruflia — ^to PruRia,
who, exporting twenty or thirty times the bulk
of goods, that Great-Britain Ihips, do not, altoge-
ther enjoy a part of the carriage for foreign nations,
equal to what fhe poffefles, is a queftion thofe na-
tions are feverally to confider and determine,
Fa6ls, in the mean time, are highly interefting. In
the year 1772, as Mr. Anderfon informs, the im-
ports and exports of the Baltic were made in 6680
veflels, of which the Britifh were 1894, the French,
Spanifh, Portuguefe, and Ruffian only 45. The
commodities carried thither (in addition to their own
manufaftures) were the produce and fabrics of all
the countries of Europe and of the Eaft and Weft-
Indies, which, by their navigation a6l, could not
have been imported into Great-Britain in like man-
ner. The fame may be faid of the cargoes they
brought away, fo far as they were carried diredly
to the ports of other nations, or were re-fhipped
from their own ports in their original form. The
fame writer flates the Britifh entries in Lifbon, in
the year 1788, to have been 351, and thofe of
Portugal, in her own metropolis and emporium,
to have been only 283. The Spaniards had but 31,
the Ruffians one, the Pruffians one, and Dantzick-
ers one. By the fame authority we are in{lru6led,
that the Britifh entries in Malaga in 1787, were
189, the Dutch 24, the Portuguefe five, the RufTi-

156

ans, PruHians, and Dantzickers, none. In the
year 1778, the Britifli entries in Cronftadt, the
port of the city of St. Peterfbargh, were 252 ;
thofe of Ruflia, though in her own capital, were
only twelve, of Spain fix, of Portugal two, of
Hamburg and Bremen five. In the year 1790, the
Brilifh entries, in the fame port, were 517 out of
932 : and v/e have recently feen, that the Britifh
have fupplied thcmfelves and the other nations of
Europe, with cargoes of our commodities amount-
ing to 230,000 tons, while thofe Europeans carri-
ed for theml'elves no more than one fixth of the
quantity ! It is not intended to dilculs, in this
place, the policy of adopting fo momentous a re-
gulation as that alluded to, obfervations on which
are rendered peculiarly delicate by the fituation in
which it is placed by the national legifiature. The
indance, it is conceived, however, will forcibly
inculcate the utility of the examination fuggefted
in the beginning of this paragraph, and will lead
to ufeful reflexions on the confequences, which
fuch an examination may induce. The fa6ls, by
which it is illuftrated, appeared too ferious and
important to Americans and to foreigners, not to
be adduced. It will be perceived, that it is equal-
ly the intereft of thofe who are Englifhmen, to con-
fider the certain effects of fuch an examination of
the Britifh trade laws, and of thofe who are not.
Some of the conviBions, which fuch an enquiry,
made with judgment, would create in the minds of
candid men, would probably be, that Grcat-Bri-

157

tain cannot not make her fhips the carriers for the
United States : and that rather than make the at-
tempt, it would be better far to commence the for-
mation of liberal arrangements, folidly founded in
the mutual interefts of the two nations.

SECTION I1I«

I N the profecution of this examination, our at-
tention is drawn to the article of

FINE AND COARSE HATS.

The writer of the obfervations remarks, that the
high price of wool and labour muft induce the
Americans to import the felt and common hats.
The increafe of our population, as in other new
countries, has been accompanied by an increafe
of the quantity of wool. Sheep have been found,
on frequent and fair experiments, to be very pro-
fitable to the farmert. Importation, though hi-
therto cafual, has fupplied us with fome wool.
Hatters are found in every part of the United
States. The following table, which was contained
in a report made by a committee to the manufac-
turing fociety of Philadelphia, will fhow the ftate
of the hatting bufinefs in Pennfylvania, and difco-
vers a fad little "known even to her own citizens,
that 12,340 hats are annually made in the four
counties beyond the Allegany mountains*.

f The American farmers are become very generally fenfible of
the great profits of breeding fheep.

15^

In the city and county
of Philadelphia,
Montgomery, -
Delaware,
Weft-Chefter, -
Lancafter,
Dauphin,
Bucks,
Berks,
York,

Cumberland,
Northumberland,
Northampton, -
Bedford,
Franklin,
Luzerne,
Huntington,
Mifflin,

Weftmoreland*,
Fayette*,
Allegany*,
Wafliington*,

Hatters.

Fur hats.

Wool hats.

3i>^37

7,600

800

1,000

■ 14

1,500

4,000

1,300

4,000

3,000

15,000

1,200

4,000

1,000

2,200

54,000

2,600

30,000

1,300

9,000

- 10

700

5,000

1,000

7,000

800

2,000

800

2,000

400

1,400

2,000

400

2,000

600

3,000

400

i>540

400

1,600

80Q

4,000

315

54,237

161,140

From this return, it appears that every county
in the ftate participates in the hatting bufinefs,
there being none but what are in the above liftt.

f The county of New-London, in Connedicut, contains fcven-
tccn hatters, who make yearly 1 0,000 wool and fur hats. The

^59

The United States are found to contain near
4,000,000 inhabitants, and of that number the
whites are conjedured to be about 3,300,000. If
a hat per annum, be allowed for every third perfon
of this laft number, 1,100,000 hats per annum, would
be a fupply for the United States, and the above
215,000 made in a fingle ftatc, may be confidered
as more than equal in value to one fifth of the de-
mand, a quarter of the number being of fur. It is to
be remembered, that leathern hats and fur caps are
not rarely feen in the interior country. This
branch has not grown up fuddenly in America ; but
was commenced among our firft manufaftures, and
has made a regular progrefs with the population.
The furs of the country have at once held out a
ftrong temptation, and afforded the eafy means. Lat-
terly, the increafe of wool has given a great extenfi-
on to the manufafture. The practical difficulties,
fuggefled by lord Sheffield, can gain little credit
under fo fuccefsful a courfe of the bufinefs; but the
truth i§, that few handicrafts are more quickly ac-
quired by apprentices, who can open fhops for them-
felves long before they are permitted in many parts
of Europe. Foreign fhops have alfo been eftablifh-
ed here, by emigrants from Germany, France and
Britain.*

army of the United States has been furnifhed with American
hats, made by contradors, who did and could obtain the contrad
only by underbidding, in fcaled propofals received from Impor-
ters and hat- makers. A. D. 1791.

• This is like wife a branch effcfted by manual induftry.

i6o

BOOKS.

" All fchool and common books/* in the opini-
on of lord Sheffield, may be fent cheaper from Bri-
tain, than they can be printed in America." The
great and conftant increafe of paper mills in the
United States, the extention of thofe longeft
erefted, the eftablifhment of type founderies and
the introdu6lion of engravers and book-bind-
ers, have made a greater change in regard to
the bujinefs of book printingy than has happened
with refpeft to any other equally valuable branch
of manual art.* The Latin and Greek fchool books
are imported in greater numbers than heretofore ;
becaufe our population is confiderably increafed,
fince the feparation from Great-Britain, and the
ufe of them is too limited to render an edition pro-
fitable : but a very great proportion of the En-
glifh fchool books (which are in general ufe) are
printed here. Of fome kinds there are none impor-
ted ; and feveral of them, with alterations and im-
provements, have been publifhed. A number of
the law books, which are mod demanded, have
been reprinted with advantage: and an edition of
the Encyclopoedia, in fifteen large quartos, con-
taining about 5 per cent, more matter than that
printed in Great-Britain, is now publifhing at fe-

* The advertifemcnt of a fingle book-ftore in Philadelphia, pub-
lifhed in the gazettes of the prefent year, contains feventy editions
of different books printed in the United States. This, it is to be
obferved, is alfo a branch effefted by hand.

i6i

venty dollars, or fifteen guineas — precifely the
price charged to fubfcribers for the Britifh edition.
The cuts in the American copy are equally nume-
rous, and are really the beft.

There are two circumftances, which will efta:
blifli the book-printing buiinefs in this country — '
the opportunity of publifhing immediately, for the
American demand, all books in every European
language,* within the term of the copy right; and
the printing of moderate fized and plain editions,
inftead of the large, ornamented, and expenfive
copies which are now the fafhion in Europe. A
fuperb quarto, on the bell vellum paper, with an
elegant but unneceffary copperplate frontifpiece,
richly gilt and lettered, (the drefs in which mo-
dern writers often introduce their works) cofts
more than is agreeable to the people of this country,
who defire valuable matter for their money. The
freight, duties, and other charges of importation,
depending either on the bulk or value, are very
much enhanced; and our printers find it eafy to
embrace the opportunity which thefe circumftan-
ces afford them to furnifh their counrty with a

* The firft premium for excellency in printing was adjudged by
the Penfylvania manufadturing fociety to the publifhers of a book
in the German language, in the inland town of Lancafter, in that
ftate feveral attempts at French gazettes have been made ; and
French advertifements are frequent in our newfpapers. German
gazettes arc conftantly printed. The laws of Pennfylvania, and cf
the United States are published in the German language.

l62

cheap oftavo, and fometimes even a duodecimo,
in its ftead.

German fchool books are much demanded in
this country, as may be fuppofed, when it is re-
membered how numerous, in the United States,
the perfons are, who read and fpeak that language
— probably 150,000 to 180,000 of our people.
Thefe books are either imported from Holland, or
the Hanfe towns, or printed in America. England
fupplies none of them.

The extenfion of the French language, together
with the intercourfe between the United States and
that nation, which took place in the year 1776, and
the alliance in 1778, with which it was followed,
will naturally be fuppofed to have increafed the
demand for French books. Thefe are principally
imported from France, the Hanfe towns, Holland,
and Flanders ; and fome few are printed in Ame-
rica.

Books in thefe two languages could not be im-
ported, before the revolution, from any country,
except Great-Britain : but are now drawR, as
above mentioned, from other foreign- fources, or
ihe American printing prefTes.

163

THAT THB AMERICANS WILL IN FUTURE GIVE A PREFE-
RENCE TO British manufactures before all others

THAT IT WILL BE A LONG TIME BEFORE THE AMERI-
CANS WILL MANUFACTURE FOR THEMSELVES — AND THAT
OUR DEMAND FOR BriTISH GOODS WILL INCREASE IW
PROPORTION TO OUR POPULATION.

The manufaQures of Great-Britain and Ireland*
are very generally good, often excellent, and almoft
always as handfome as the nature of the article
will admit. Yet, there are not wanting proofs,
that we {hall take confiderable quantities of goods
from other countries. Twenty-two fhips, for ex-
ample, arrived in the United States from St. Pe-
terfburg, in the year 1790, with cordage, ticking,
drillings, diaper, broad linens, narrow linens, print-
ed linens, crafh, fheetings, ravens duck, RuflTia
duck, nail rods, and rolled iron for hoops. The
remainder of their cargoes were bar iron, hemp,
and flax, which were intended to be manufaBur-
ed here. Nankeens, filks, long-cloths, porcelain
and fome fmall articles, are imported regularly
from China: and muflins, plain, ftriped, figured,
and printed, with filks, and a variety of other ar-
ticles, are imported from India. It being manifeft-
iy very injurious to the manufa6luring interefl of
every nation in Europe, even to import, and much
more fo to confume thefe goods, there can be no

* The linens, and flaxen hofiery of Britain and Ireland are how-
ever much fallen off in goodnefs, fince they have applied the
tow and worft flax to the manufacture of coarfe goods, wherein
ilrength is indifpenfible.

164

doubt, that they will be fupplied to us in the Eaft-
Jndies, with more readinels every year ; and if a
few more caliico printers were to eftablifti them-
felves among us, the importation of printed linens,
callicoes and cottons might be exceedingly dimi-
niflied. The importation alfo of dowlafs, ozna-
burghs, ticklenburgs, and other German linens, and
of Haerlem ftripes, and tapes, from Bremen, Ham-
burgh, aiKl Amfterdam, together with the manufac-
tory of every ton of hemp, and almoft every ton of
flax, which we raife or import, together with fome
cotton, has very much afFefted the Britifh and Irifti
linen trade*. It appears from various documents,
that the average exports of their manufactures to
the United States for feveral years prior to the
year 1789, were near half a million of dollars lefs
than the average exports of feveral years immedi-
ately antecedent to the war, though our population
has probably doubled in the laft twenty-five years.
It is not improbable, however, that the great quan-
tities of goods fhipped fince 1789, in confequence
of the jealoufy of American manufactures, the ap-
prehenfion of a rupture with Spain, and the efforts
of the Britifh cotton manufacturers to banifh Eafl-
India goods from our markets, would fhow a con-
fiderable increafe in the laft and prefent years.
In fhort, the United States are an open market;
(he American merchants are men of judgment and
enterprife; and confequently the goods of every

* The life of cotton fhirts is extending in America, being
thought very favourble to health. A, D. 1793.

i85

country in the world, which are adapted to our cort-
famption, are found in our ware-houfes. It is cer*
tainly true, that among them are very large quanti-
ties ofBritifti manufaftures, being much and juftly
approved, and being imported on convenient credits
by our merchants, and copioufly (hipped by Britifh
merchants and manufafturers on their own account,
to their correfpondents here. If properly conduc-
ed on both fides, it may yet be a very beneficial
trade to the two countries ; but it has not excluded
the valuable goods of other nations, nor has it pre-
vented a very great progrefs of our own manufac-
tures, particularly in the family way. Cordage^
gunpowder, fteel, nails, paper, paper-hangings,
books, ftationary, linfeed oil, carriages, hats, wool
and cotton cards, ftockings, (hoes, boots, (hot, and
many other articles are made in confiderable quan-
tities, fome of them as far as fifty per centum on the
demand, and other in quantities nearly equal to the
confumption. Subftantial freedom, liberal wages,
and cheap and excellent living, free from any ex.
cife, except a very fmall one, (compared with any
in Europe) upon fpirituous liquors, operate daily to
bring us manufafturers and artizans in the manual
branches; and we are beginning to fee the great, atid
to us, the peculiar value of labour-faving machines.
The rate of manual labour is no objection againft them,
but abfolutely in their favour; for it is clear, that
they muft yield the greateft profit in countries where
the price oflabour is the highefl. The firll judicious
European capitalifls, who fhall take good fuuations
in the United States, and eftablifh manufactories.

i66

by labour-faving machines, muft rapidly and cer-
tainly make fortunes. They cannot, it is prefum-
ed, be long infenfible of this ; but if they fhould
continue fo, the appreciation of our public (locks
will probably bring fome of our own capitalifts into
,the bufinefs. The public creditors, the owners of
perhaps fifteen millions fterling of now ina6live
wealth, might at this moment do much towards the
introduction of the cotton mills, wool-mills, flax
and hemp-mills, and other valuable branches of
machine manufacturing. It is pad a doubt, that
were a company of perfons of charafter and judg-
ment to fubfcribe a flock for this purpofe of 500,000
dollars in the public paper, they might obtain up-
on a depofit of it, a loan of as much coin from
fome foreign nation, at an intereft lefs than fix per
cent. Was fuch a company to be incorporated, to
have its flock transferable as in a bank, to receive
fubfcriptions from 400 dollars upwards, to pur-
chafe 500 or 1000 acres of land well fituated for
receiving imported materials and exporting their
fabrics — were they to ereCl works in the centre of
fuch a body of land, to lay out their grounds in a
convenient town-plat, and to proceed with judgment
and fyflem in their plan, they would be lure offuc-
cefs in their manufaftories ; they would raife a va-
luable town upon their land, and would help to
fupport the value of the public debt.* Were a

* This meafure, which was in contemplation at the time when
thefe papers were written, has been fince digefted and commenced.
The capital already engaged amounts to above 600,000 dollars,
A., p. 1 791. The proprietors of all the inland towns in theUni^

few eftablifhments, like that defcribed, to take place
(and there are room and funds for many of them)
even the manufa8:ories oi piece goods, o^ every kind
in which machinery could be applied, would foon be
introduced with profit into the United States. It
cannot, on cool reflexion, be expeded, that a
country remote from all the manufacturing nations,
able to produce the requifite raw materials and pro-
vifions, and fubjeft to many interruptions in their
exportation to foreign markets, will continue to
depend on diftant tranfmarine fources, for themafs
of her neceflary fupplies. The wonderful progrefs
of other nations, which have commenced manu-
faftures under difadvantages much greater than
any we have to contend with, will powerfully in-
cite us to exertion. Until the year 1667, a piece
of woolen cloth was never dyed and drelTed
in England. This great manufacture was quickly
after improved by the (kill of foreign emigrants,
(a mean at our command j) and fo rapidly has the
woolen branch advanced, that it was eftimated, in
1783, at the immenfe fum o^ £, 16,800,000 fter-
ling (above feventy-four millions of dollars) per an-
num, and was equal in value to all the exports, and
fuperior to all the revenues of Great-Britain. It
may, perhaps, be afked, why manufaClures were
not eftabliihed in the late war ? Any man, who
makes a comparifon of a variety of branches, as
they were in 1774, and as they flood in 1782, will

ted States appear to have become fenfible of the advantages, which
will arife from attra<£ling manufa<5lurers to them. A. D. 1793.

i68

perceive a great advance to have actually taken
place, though manufa8;ares were little encouraged
through the intermediate eight years, by reafon of
the total occupation of government in the profecu-
tion of the war: their importance moreover was
not duly eftimated. The Britifh manufa6lurers,
who can now emigrate with the greateft conveni-
ence, then viewed the people of this country as
enemies. Neither they, nor the people of other
nations (who indeed knew little of us) cared to rifk
themfelves in an invaded country, nor would they
hazard a capture in their paffages hither. Not-
withftanding thefe impediments, the manufadurers
of the United States have been found to be the mod
fuccefsful competitors with thofe of Great-Britain
in the American market. They have not made
fine linens, fine cloths, fiiks, (luffs, and other arti-
cles requiring a great degree of fkill, labour, or
capital; but they have made common cloths of li-
nen, woollen, and cotton, fteel, nails, fheet iron,
paper, gunpowder, cannon and mufquets, cabinet
work, carriages, fhoes, and fabrics of the fimple but
moll important and neceffary kinds. 0^ Sec the
Juppkmentary note, concerning the progrejs and pre-
fentjlate of American domejlic or houfehold manufac-
tztres, which follows. No. VII.

169

THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOLITIC IN GrE AT-BrITAI N, TO AD-
MIT AiMERICAN VESSELS INTO HER WeST-InDIA ISLANDS.

This is a very momentous queftion to Great-Bri-
tain ; and therefore whatever may be the real me-
rits of it, the people of that country might have
been expefted to confider it with Brft imprefiions
unfavourable to the admifTion of foreigners. It is
alfo probable, that the Americans may have taken
a partial view of the fubjeQ, from the great inte-
reft, they fuppofe they have, to obtain a participa-
tion in the Britifli Weft-India trade. There are
two pofitions of lord Sheffield, relative to this fub-
je6l, which appear conformable with truth and rea-
fon, and in which it is of great confequence, that
we (hould, on mature reflexion, agree. The firft
is, " That the cultivation of the Britijh Wejl- India
ijlands mi^ht be carried much farther than it is,'
which he fupports by obferving " that the produce of
the ijland of Jamaica ynight he trebled at leaf," The
fecond is, " That the nation which may hereafter he
in poffefion of the mojl extenfive and bejt cultivated
fugar ijlands* will take the lead at fea."

If the firft of thefe pofitions be true, both in re-
gard to the Britifli Weft-Indies in general, and the
illand of Jamaica in particular, then it becomes a
matter of the utmoft importance to Great-Britain^

* Or tranfmarine colonies.

170

by reafon of the fecond pofition, to adopt the hejl
pojfiblejyjlem for promoting the cultivation of the va^
cant lands and improved ejiatts in the fever al ifands,
Perfons, who have contended with the difficulties
and expences of fettling new plantations, and who
arc acquainted with the management of Weft-India
eftates, will be lenfible, that cheap fupplies of
building materials, and other neceflary incipi-
ent articles, give the greateft facility and cer-
tainty to thofe who are ftruggling to effeft a new
fettlement : and keeping down the contingent ex-
pences of planting and raifing produce, and of
packing and preparing the crop for market, is
manifeftly a fure mean of increafing the profits
of an eftate. In this point of light, it muft be
immenfely againft the Britiffi Weft-India produ-
cers of 7,500,000 gallons of rum, and 2,000,000 cwt.
of fugars, with cotton, coffee, pimento and other
articles, that they receive their ftaves, boards,
provifions, and other fupplies, on terms fo much
higher than the French, the Dutch, and the Danes.
While the iflands of France were furniftied in the
laft year, by French and American bottoms, with
red oak hogfliead ftaves, at 12, 14, and 16 dol-
lars— with hoops, at 14 to 28 dollars — with pine
boards, at 11 to 16 dollars — with Indian meal, at
2\ to 3 and two third dollars per barrel — with fliip-
bread, at 3^ dollars per 108 poundsv; the Britifti
planters in Jamaica were obliged to pay for red
oak hogfhead ftaves, 24, 27, and 31 dollars; "for
wooden hoops, 27, 30, and 36 dollars ; for pine
boards 24, 27, and 30 dollars; for Indian meal 4|-,

171

to 5^ dollars ; for fhip-bread the fame; ; and for
rice per lOO pounds 33- to 5^ dollars. Let confi-
derate men determine, whether the Britifli colonial
agriculture mud not be depreffed, and that of the
French be exceedingly elevated, under fuch cir-
cumftances. It is plain that the latter will find it
eafy to extend their plantations into grounds now
uncultivated, if the Britifh planters fhould be able
to endure their difadvantages. In conformity
with this reafoning, we find that the produce of
French St. Domingo, fhipped to Europe, which,
before the late war, is dated by lord Sheffield to
have employed no more than 450 fhips, was fuffi-
cient, in the year 1788, to load for France 580
fhips, of 370^: tons on a medium, and 110 of 740
tons, (exclufive of the numerous French and fo-
reign veffels employed in the trade with North and
South America,) amounting in the whole to 296,435
tons, nearly equal to one third of the private fhips
of Britain. The whole of the veffels loaded in 1787,
from all the Britifh Weft-India iflands to England
and Scotland, amounted to but 132,222 tons. In
1788 the quantity was the fame, and as the writer
of the obfervations admits that the produce of
Jamaica was before the war two thirds in va-
lue (though lefs in bulk) of that of St. Do-
mingo, the Britifh colonial agriculture muft have ad-
vanced, if at all, in a much lefs degree than that
of the French. This great increafe of the French
navigation, refulting from a profperous Wejl-Indtan
agriculturcy abundantly and cheaply fuppliedy is a
verification of the prediction of lord Sheffield, which

172

was mentioned above, and induces the moft rea»
Ibnabie doubts, whether it would be really impoli-
tic in Great-Britain to admit American ved'els into
her Weft-India iflands. As it is of great impor-
tance to this argument, to eftablilh the aftual in-
creafe of the French produce upon ftronger ground
than even the higheft probability, it may be ufeful
to ftate, that the fugars exported from St. Domin-
go, in 1786, were near 133 millions of pounds ; in
1788, near 163 millions and an half; that the cof-
fee in 1786 was about 51 millions of pounds; and,
on the average of 1787 and 1788, near 70 millions;
and that the cotton, in 1786 was 5,200,000 pounds
— and, on the average of 1787 and 1788, above
6,500,000 pounds — alfo that the molafles, which in
1786 was 21,855 l^hds. was increafed in 1788, to

29,503-

The augmentation of the French veflels, em-
ployed from St. Domingo alone, appears to be equal
to 108,000 tons. If the whole of their fugar colo-
Piies have profpered in the fame degree, it is proba^
ble their acquifition of (hipping may be fafely efti-
mated at 162,000 tons, which is 47,000 tons more
than lord Sheffield fuppofes to have been em-
ployed, before the American revolution, between
the Britifh fugar iflands and all the American pro-
vinces, and is very far beyond the tonnage em-
ployed at this time in the trade of thofc iflands
with the United States. The Britifh publications
reprefent it to be lefs than 21,000 tons, making

173

three voyages per annum, the aggregate entries of
which, they confider, as about 62,000 tons.

It is alledged, American vefTels cannot be ad-
mitted without offence to other countries: but that
has not been found an objeftion to the admiffion
by the French. Nor, if the regulation were pro-
perly made, would the allies of England have any
caufe of complaint ; for they might participate in
the trade, if they could find advantage in fo doing,
which, however, would not be the cafe. The fhips
of Ruffia, of Holland, of Great-Britain, of Spain,
of Portugal, of the United States, and of all other
foreign countries, may enter the French iflands
with the fame kind of goods, even American arti-
cles. The Englifh, indeed, would be much more
protefted in the ifland trade than the French; be-
caufe by other claufes in their laws, the goods
brought by each flag mud be its own national pro-
dudions.

It may be argued that the Americans would take
a large proportion of the carriage to the Britifh
iflands : but this, if true, is the ftrongeft proof, that
can be adduced, of the expediency of the meafure,
as calculated to promote the colonial agriculture,
and thus aid and fupport the navy of Great-Britain.
France, it is feen, by the mode propofed, has ad-
ded nearly as much to her fhipping, in the trade of
a fingle ifland, as England enjoys in the monopoly
of the intercourfe with all her iflands, by the mode
fliepurfues. The Britifli fliipping, too, if ours were

i74

admitted, would certainly maintain themfelves in
a confiderable portion of the trade : and in proof
of this, it may be obferved, that the French em-
ploy of their own veflels in their Weft-India trade
from this country, nearly two-thirds of the tonnage
that is engaged in their commerce between thefe
ftates and France. It is material to obferve, that
in the intercourfe between the French iflands and
the United States, the tonnage of the Britifl),
Dutch, Spanifh, Danes, Swedes, and Portuguefe,
does not amount to two per cent, upon the whole
of the veflels employed.

THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR BrITAIN TO GIVE UP THE

Islands than their carrying trade.

As the arguments on this point, adduced by lord
Sheffield, relate only to the carrrying trade between
the United States and the Britifti Weft-India ifl-
ands, the obfervations will proceed on the fame
ground. The whole freight betweeen the two
countriesprior to the war,heeftimates at ^T. 245,000,
rather than lofe which, he thinks it better
to give up thofe valuable iflands, the produce
whereof, according to various eftimations, is worth
three or four millions flerling, and whofe inhabit-
ants are very free confumers of Britifh and Irifli
inanufaftures. A prudent adminiftration ftiould
beware of a writer, who palpably deceives himfelf
by too ardently maintaining a favourite hypothefis.
But a relinquifliment of the trade, on the part of
Great-Britain, is not deflred ; nor can a lofs of it be
fuppofcd to follow the admiflion of our veflels to a

participation in it. The fliips always employed in
the circutious voyage would ftill continue to pur-
fue it; thofe belonging to the Weft Indians them-
felves, the Bahamans, the Bermudians, and the
northern Britifh colonies, would ftill enjoy a large
portion ; the remainder would be done by the
Americans, who now fufFer the Britifti nation to
employ a very large quantity of tonnage in imports
from, and exports to foreign countries, other than
Britifti, without any reciprocation.

THAT THE SHIPPING GrE AT-BriTAIN GAINS, BY EXCLUD-
ING THE Americans, will be at hand.

Lord Sheffield undertakes to fay, that the navi-
gation of thofe provinces, which are now the
United States, operated as a drain of Britifti fea-
men ; and conveys an idea, that the failors em-
ployed here, were of no ufe to Britain. The
prompt manning of their ftiips on this ftation, the
cheap and certain fupply of their Weft-Indies, in
the war of 1755 to 1762, the diftrefs to the French
and Spanifli trade by American privateers, the af-
fair of cape Breton, the great exportation of prize
goods from this country, and other weighty faQs,
might be adduced to prove this not the fmalleft of
his errors. AlFuming that we were too remote to
be of any ufe in time of war, he proceeds to a con-
clufion, that the navigation employed in the fup-
ply of the iflands, will be hereafter nearer home,
inferring that it will belong to the merchants of
their European dominions. This may be in a

tj6

great degree the cafe, as to the fugar fhips, which
make the circuitous voyage from Europe to the
United States, the Weft-Indies and Europe; and
it was equally (o, as to that defcription of traders,
before the revolution; but the dired intercourfe
between thefe ftates and the Britilh Weft-India
iflands, from which we are excluded, muft, from
the nature of the trade, be carried on principally
in vefTels owned in thofe iflands, whofe fituation
is more remote than ours, and by Britifli fubjefts
refiding in our ports, Bermudians, and the people
of the northern Britifti colonies, all of whom are
as diftant as wc.

THAT America could never be united again,

Was a fettled opinion of the writer of the obfer-
vations. He did not perceive that accident, prin-
cipally, had caft us into the form of thirteen ftates.
It is true, that the extreme injuries of difunion
were not generally forefeen by many of our own
citizens. The utility — the necefTity of ftrengthen-
ing the national government, had not come home,
as it has fincedone, to the minds of the American
people. Many of their friends, however, faw with ,
regret, and fome of thofe who were not their^
friends, perceived with a fatisfaftion not the moft
honourable, that the profpefts of individual happi-
nefs, and of national profperity had ceafed to be
fair. The moft miferable ill that can affiicl thepo- ^
litical body, the Want of a Jit organization^ hady.^-
brought on alarming convulfions; and there w^SF

177

no evils which were not to be apprehended, unlels
a change of fyftem could be efFeQed. In this mo-
ment, the friends of order came forth. The jar-
ring interefts, on the effefts of which the writer re-
lies, were made to harmonize. The difference of
*' manners, of climates, and of ftaples," did not in-
tervene, according to his expeQations, as infur-
mountable obftacles to amity and union. That
hearty co-operation, the hope of which is treated
as prepoilerous, hasadually taken place: and the
American people now univerfally perceive, " that
whatever meafures have a tendency to diffolve their
union, or contribute to violate or leffen the fove-
reign authority, ought to be confidered as hoftile to
their liberty and independency/'

It remains, then, for thofe, who have believed
in thefe predictions of ruinous contentions among
the people, and an enfeebling difcord in the coun-
cils of the United States, to confider, in fo diffe-
rent a courfe of things, the condud which ought
to be obferved : and for us it remains fteadily to
proceed in the good work of rejloring and firmly
fecuring public order, as the certain and only
means of private and public happinefs.

IJB

SECTION IV.

The article, which next prefents itfelf, is that of

NAVAL STORES.

It appears to lord Sheffield, that RuflTia will in-
terfere much with the American ftates, in the fup-
ply of thefe commodities. The quantities export-
ed, agreeably to his table for 1771, and our re-
turn in 1791, appear to have been.

In 1 77 1. Barrels.'

Barrels. '

In the re-

of pitch, 9,144

8,875

turn for

tar, 82,075

85,067

13 two.

turpentine, 17,014

worth then
' 156,000

28,326

worth now

rofin, 223

316

> 217,945

fpirits of tur-

dollars.

pentine, 41

193

Total, 108,497

122,777.

From this increafe of value, it appears, that the
United States have not fufFered from the competi-
tion of Ruffia, or any other country; but that in
this article, like moft others, we experience the ad-
vantage of being an open market^ free from the
Britifh monopoly, which exifted before the revo-
lution. In addition to this large exportation, con-
fiderable quantities have been confumed, in ma-
nufa6lures which have been introduced or extend-
ed fince the year 1771 : and a very large quantity
has been purchafed for the repairs and ftores of

179

1'jOiOOO tons of vefTels, of various nations, em-
ployed in the foreign trade, the coading trade, and
the fifheries, and in the building of new fhips, which
greatly exceed the number built on a medium of
1769 to 1771.

POT AND PEARL ASHES.

Thefe articles, lord Sheffield ventures to affirm,
can be made to greater advantage in Canada and
Nova Scotia, than elfewhcre in America, on ac-
count of the plenty of wood, and owing to the great
quantity of fuel confumed in a long and fevere wi nter.
It is well known, that the people of this continent
do not attempt to make thefe falts out of any of the
terebinthine woods,* (though it is faid to be prac-
tifed in the north of Europe,) and that the growth
of trees in the remaining Britifh colonies, is prin-
cipally of thofe kinds. Abundant proof that they
have little oak, is derived from the fmall quantity
of ftaves, heading, oak timber, and oak planks,
which they export, and from the quantities of them,
which they import from the United States. But
had they the proper kinds of fuel, that would not
be fufficient ; for a certain degree of population is
neceffary to this manufacture. The number of
people in the whole of the northern Britifh colonies,
is perhaps 160,000 or 180,000, while the United
States have more than twenty times their number,

* The barks of hemlock, pine, fir, and larch, are faid to be
▼ery produdive of pot-alh.

i8o

of whom two-thirds inhabit fcenes much more abun-
dant in wood and timber than Canada and Nova-
Scotia. Their cuftom houfe books will fhow what
pot-afh thofe colonies export. Although our writer
fuppoles, that the United States will yield lefs than
they have heretofore done, we find, that the return of
the treafury exhibited the great quantity of 8,568
tons, though the exj}ort, on the medium of 1768,
1769, and 1770, was only 2008 tons, and 5 cwt.

In treating of pot-afh, lord Sheffield takes occa-
(ion to digrels to the ariicle of coal, and obferves,
that to encourage the Britifh collieries, and carry-
ing trade, they fhould prevent the getting of coal
on the ifland of Cape Breton. It was among the
difadvantages, which, it was alledged, the United
States would fuftain by the Reparation from Great-
Britain, that the collieries of Cape Breton were to
be particularly barred againlt them. This, like
many other evils, which were apprehended, has va-
niflied on a recurrence to the refources of the
country. The collieries on James river will not
only abundantly fupply the extenfive territory wa-
tered by the rivers of the Chefapeak and by that
bay itfelf ; but they promife to afford a very valu-
able nurfery for feamen in the tranfportation of
their contents to all the fea-ports of the United
States. They already furnifii coal on terms much
lower than the minimum of the firft coll and charges
of importation : and as labour is declining in price
and a flicrt water communication, between the
mines and the (hipping place, is nearly completed.

i8i

there is no doubt that foreign coal will be rende-
red a very lofing commodity, and that it mail final-
ly be excluded from our markets. The interior
country is plentifully fupplied by nature with this
valuable foffil.

HORSES.

Lord Sheffield treats of this article with great
ingenuity. He raifes expectations in the govern^
ment and people of Great Britain, that the Weft-
Indies may draw fupplies of thefe ufeful animals
from Canada, and confiders Nova-Scotia as hav-
ing greatly the advantage of Canada and the Uni-
ted States in her capacity for the exportation of
them. It is ftatcd as certain, that a trade in hor-
fes will be carried on by that province. The dif-
tance of Great-Britain and Ireland do not appear
to rettrain his fanguine hopes, that horfes may be
fhipped to the Weit-Indies from thofe two coun-
tries. He proceeds further, and fuggefts the fup-
ply of the probable deficiency of horfes, with mules,
from Barbary, from whence they are to be obtain-
ed in abundance, (though at a high price) and from
Porto Rico and the Miihlippi. In fliort, know-
ing the importance of horfes to the Welt- India
planters, he takes great pains to fliew, that they
may relinquifh, without inconvenience, the cheap
and certain fupplies which thev formerly enjoyed,
and which the French, Danes, and Dutch now
enjoy by means of deep-wailted American vellcls,
manned by perfons accuftomed to the bufincrs.

l82

There is perhaps, no article, in proportion to
the value, in which the Britifh iflands fuffer more
deeply by the prefent footing of their intercourfe
with thefe flates, than in that of which we are now
treating. This country is particularly fitted for
the raifmg of horfes, and affords them in very in-
creafed numbers. The exportation of them in the
year 1770, which was entirely to the Weft-India
iflands, was, by lord Sheffield's tables, 6,692 ;
and the exportation of them by the treafury return,
already referred to, was 8,628, befides 237 mules.
The lafl article has been added to the lilt of ex-
ports, fince the year 1770, and promifes to be-
come very confiderable, though mules have not a
place in lord Sheffield's book among the fupplies
which may be derived from the United States. The
Britifti Wefl-India iflands are ftated to have taken
off, before the revolution, two fifths of the above
number, or 2,676 horfes ; but it appears by the
late return that there were ffiipped thither, in
thirteen months and a half, no more than 916 hor-
fes and mules; from which it is manifefl, that the
prefent mode of carrying on the trade deprives
them of above two-thirds of their former fupply of
thefe animals, which are admitted in the obferva-
tions, to be " ejfentially necejjary." The price of
ihofe thcv do obtain, mufl of courfe be much
enhanced by an unfatisfied demand three-fold
greater than the importation, and by the expenfe
of conveying them in Britifli fliips, which be-
ing very generally in the double decked form,
are dangerous for the traiifportation of horfes on

1^3

deck, and carry them at an immenfe freight in the
hold. Here is another very injurious inftance of
deprefling the Weft-India agricuhure. The cafe
with the Dutch is very different. Their fugar colo-
nies, though much lefs populous than thofe of Great-
Britain, received in the above term, about feven
hundred and fixty horfes and mules. The French,
as in regard to the other articles of neceflary fup-
plies, not produced by their own dominions, re-
ceive thefe animals, without impediment, in our
vefTels, and their own, indifcriminately. The pre-
cife number, which was fhipped to their iflands,
before the revolution, is not afcertained : but, as
lord Sheffield alledges, that the whole number ex-
ported to the foreign fugar colonies was, in 1770,
about 4,015, fome part of which the Dutch and
Danes received — and as it appears by the late re-
turn, that about 7,000 horfes and mules were fhip-
ped to the French fugar plantations, during its
term, it is manifeft, that they have increafed their
importations 80, 90, or 100 per cent. It is unnecef-
fary to reiterate here, tha they will receive pro-
portionate advantages in their colonial agriculture,
(and to the fhips employed in tranfporting its pro-
duce) from fo capital an addition to one of their
moft ufeful fupplies.

i84

THAT ** France will not suffer America to supi»LY

HER WITH SHIPS,"

is contradiQed by the faQ.* That kingdom by
rejeQing American vefl'els, would have fo far
facrificed her carrying trade to the manufaBure
of fhips. She wifely purchafes, upon the cheapeft
terms, the cradles for her marine nurfery. The
firfl: and great objc8: of the maritime powers ought
to be, the increafe of the number of their Jailor Sy
^'hich is beft done by multiplying their chances of
employment. Among the means of doing this,
one of the mod obvious and rational is, the multi"
plication of vejfels. The French-built fhips coft
from 55 to 60 dollars per ton, when fitted to re-
ceive a cargo, and exclufively of fca (lores, infu.
ranee, the charges of lading, outward pilotage, and
other expenfes incidental to the employment, and
not to the building and outfit of a veflel. The
American live oak and cedar (hips, to which
none are fuperior, coft in the fame fituation, from
33 ^o 35 dollars, finifhed very completely. If the
French require 10,000 tons of new veffels, on any
occafion, or in any term of time, they may be pro-
cured in the United States, on a computation of
the medium price of 34 dollars per ton, for the

* Immediately after the firfl: publication of this paper, the
French regulation, confining their fla^ to native (hips, was re-
ceis-ed in America. What will be found under this head, which
was \vritten before the regulation was known, may ferve as a fin-
cere comment on this new reftric^ion. A. D. 1791.

i85

film of 340,000 dollars: but if bought at 55 dol-
lars, the lowed price in France, they would coft
the much greater fum of 550,000 dollars. No ar-
gument is neceffary to Ihow, that luch a nation,
ceteris paribus, muft produce feamen more rapidly,
than thofe, who refuie thefe cheap veffels.

It would appear much lefs unreafonable, that
the government of the United States fliould prohi-
bit the fale of fliips, (the means of obtaining naval
ftrength,) to foreign nations, than that any of them
fhould reject the great advantage of fo cheap and
excellent a fupply. And fhould the French, Bri-
tilh, and other foreign nations continue to decline
the purchafe of American-built fliips, there can be
no doubt, that we fhall take a greater portion of
the carrying trade for ourfelves and other coun-
tries, from that caufe,

THAT THE NAVIGATION ACT GAVE, AND THAT AN ADHERENCE
TO IT, WILL SECURE TO GrEAT-BrITAIN THE COMMERCE
OF THE WORLD.

There is no doubt, that Great-Britain has here-
tofore obtained, in proportion to tlie number of
its people, a very great (hare of trade both foreign
and internal. But the value of her imports in
1774, was not ten per cent, more than that of the
imports of France. Holland* had, at the fame

A a

* Mr. Eden dated, fince the American war, that the ex-
ports of Holland, in foreign goods only, were i8,ooo,occl.
fterling.

i86

time, a very great trade; as had feveral other
countries in Europe. It would have been beyond
the truth, if lord Sheffield had faid that Britain
had a fifth *' of the commerce of the world." It
may appear, at firfl view, of little ufe, and even in-
vidious, to notice this remark ; but it is really of
importance to a reafonahle and accurate ejiimation of
things, to correH fuch extravagancies. Thefe hyper-
bolical expreffions tend to miflead* They occa-
fion a people erroneoufly to fuppofe, they have
the world at their command, and render the moft
falutary and reafonable arrangements more diffi-
cult than they ought to be. They alfo help to
fwell the popular torrent againft a clear-fighted,
honeft, and candid minifter, who may attempt mea-
fures, fit irt themfelves, and even neceffary to the
national interefts.

But whatever may have been the degree of truth
in the afl'ertion, that Great-Britain heretofore en-
groffed the commerce of the world, a different
courfe of things has taken place, and is 'to be ex-
peQed hereafter, with regard to her and every
other country. It is manifeft, that a prodigious,
and almoft univerfal revolution in the views of
nations, with regard to the carrying trade, has ta-
ken place. The extenfion of the fpirit of com-
merce and the confequent inclination and capaci-
ty for naval power, have occafioned this change.
The jealoufy of trade, which gave birth to the
Britifli navigation aO:, is now felt as well by the
fovereigns, as by the citizens, of every country in

187

Europe. They have become fenfible, that commerce
and navigation are at once great fources of private
wealth and of national power. The general pre*
valence of thefe views is daily producing commer-
cial regulations, (injurious in many particulars to
the country making them) intended to fecure to
the citizens of each nation thofe benefits, which were
formerly enjoyedby the carrying and manufaBuring
ftates. Thofe, who have heretofore enjoyed the
trade of other countries, and in a very extenfivc
degree, muft neceffarily be the firft to feel the
inconveniencies of this change of meafures: and
they muft eventually experience them in proportion
to their former advantages. The private fhipping
of the Hanfe towns and of the United Netherlands,
have already felt feverely the confequences of
thefe views. Thofe traders, indeed, might once
have almoft claimed the commerce of the world.
There is confiderable danger, however, that this
anxious defire of trade may occafion Ibme of the
maritime nations to give too free and ftrong ope-
ration to principles, which are not exceptionable
in the prefent ftate of things, if properly direded
and reftrained; for it is manifeft, that countries
with a great agricultural intereft, will err exceed-
ingly in purfuing, as far as poflible, meafures,
which may not be found inconvenient to nations
oppofitely circumftanced.

With refpeft to Great-Britain, the particular
obje6l of her navigation a8. was to expel the Dutch
from her carrying trade, and thus to decreafe the

i88

ability of her rivals to maintain and fuddenly to
increafe their navy. Situated as things then were,
the Britifh were probably right, as to the objeft in
view: and, from the -wonderjulmfe'nfibility of all
Europe to the nature and operation oj theEnglifi ma^
rine code, they gained incidentally, and for a long
time, inDmenfe advantages in the commerce of
other ftates, for which they originally did not look.
This ftuation of things however is now thoroughly
underjlcod. The (hipping of Britain in confe-
quence, will hereafter find rivals in the private vef-
fels of feveral foreign countries, and there appears
the utmoft improbability, that (he can continue to
retain any extraordinary (hare of the carrying
trade for other nations. The tenure of it is mani-
feftly in the greateft degree precarious; becaufe it
abfolutely depends on the laws of other countries,
and on the improbable continuance of inattention
in their commercial citizens.

The value of the carrying trade, it may alfo be
obferved, is very materially altered. Inftead of
being, as formerly, a profitable monopoly fifwe
may fo fpeak) in the hands of two nations, it is
now difFufed among ten or twelve. The great ad-
vantages, loo, which accrued to Britain fram cheap
provifions — fuperior and cheap (hips — and low wa-
ges to feamen, are now loft. Bread and meat,
from the increafe of manufafturers, are imported
into that ifland — wages have confiderably advan-
ced, if we take into the calculation the great fi(h-
ing bounties — the expenfes of fhip-building have

x89

increafed — the French* are admitted to have ob-
tained the pre-eminence in naval architeQure, and
it appears from a minute return, exhibited in An-
derfon's commerce, that the oak timber of Great-
Britain, in forty years proceeding 1771, had de-
creafed nine-tenths; and that it had advanced in
price above 40 per cent, in the courfe of the nine-
teen antecedent years. It will not be forgotten,
that the expenditure of twenty years, including a
naval war, in which an unparalleled number of
fhips was built, has fince occured further to ex-
hauft their (lock of fhip timber. Nor fliould it be
overlooked, that vaft demands were made for this
article to replace the private fhipping, which were
loft to the Britifli nation by the American revolu-
tion. The confumption of fhip timber from 1774
to 1785, appears from the papers of the Britifn fo-
ciety for naval architeQure, to have been three
times as great as in any equal term before.

The fudden command of feamen by means of
imprejfment is too ftrong an operation of the exe-
cutive power, too great an outrage againft the rights
of men, and the facred peace of families, long to be
endured in the prefent courfe of European affairs.
Thole prompt exertions of naval ftrength, by
which Great-Britain has heretofore gained advan-
tages, will be affeded by an alteration in this par-
ticular, at leaft fofar as regards unprofitable, unjuft,
and ambitious wars, into which all nations are occa-
fionally led.

* See papersxf the Britfh fociety for naval archlte<^ure.

190

Thefe remarks, it is prefumed, will not be mif-
conftrued, as of an invidious nature. It is aftafon
requiring a truejlate of things. They are intended
as difpafionate and reafonable anfwers to the extra-
vagant affertions and the contemptuous menaces of
the writer of the oblervations, whofe do6lrines are
as pernicions to Great-Britain, as they are injuri-
ous to the United States. ^' Should a quarrel take
place between the American flates and Great-Britain^
fome Jlout frigates^" he affirms, -would completely
command the commerce of this mighty continent,"

It would not be improper to aflc, what argument
is this very intelligent writer poflefTed of, to prove
that fo great di permanent difparity will exift in fa-
vour of a nation, whofe exports are now to their
expenfeSy as 18 to 16, over a nation whole exports
to their expenles are as 18 to 3 ? Why, can he in-
form us, fhould the Britifli exports or imports, nei-
ther of which will load 650,000 tons of vefTels, af-
ford a certain and permanent bajis for a powerful
navy, if thofe of the United States, which will lade
650,000 tons of veifels, and are fteadily increafing^
donotjuftify, under proper management, expec-
tations equal to a few ftout frigates ? Such mifcal-
culations, on the part of any foreign nation, muft
lead to correfponding improprieties in their deport*
ment towards us, or they muft be candidly rejeded.

191

THAT IT MUST ALWAYS BE THE SITUATION OF THE UniTEB

States to court Great-Britain.

To evince the fallacy of this pofition, nothing
more is necefTary than to recoUeB: fome leading
circumftances in the trade of the two countries.
Great Britain exports about ■£'. 18,000,000 fterling,
per ann. of which 13,000,000 fterling are her own
manufa6lures. It will not be pretended, that we,
as the principle cuftomers, are to court the venders
of thefe goods,^ A portion of the remaining
^.5,000,000 is made up of our tobaccoes, rice,
indigoes ginfeng, and other productions, exported
from their dominions in an unmanufaftured ftate.
Of thefe, it will not be fuppofed we can be anxi.
ous to make importations. The greater part of the
remainder is made up of India, Ruffian, German,
and other articles, of foreign growth or manufac-
ture, which Britain cannot furnifh but at fecond
hand ; for which, confequently, we are not under
the neceffity to court her, and which neither we
nor any other nation fhould receive from her Eu-
ropean dominions, were we to purfue her naviga-
tion principles. The re-(hipped commodities of
Ireland, too, form no inconliderable item in the
lift of Britifh exports. For thefe we could be un-
der no obligation to Great-Britain, being manu-
fa8ured goods, on the fhipment of moft of which
to thefe ftates and all the world, the Irifh have

* We muft court the arts by which they are manufadured, ai
wc have wifely done for the lad five or fix years.

1^2

long granted a very encouraging bounty. In re-
gard to our exports to Great-Britain, they confijl
principally of the precious elements of her manufac-
tureSy fhippingy and navy. Thefc are not only (in
the language of lord Sheffield, when fpeaking of
the Ruffian exports) " more precious to her than
gold,'* but are abfolute neceflaries. Lumber of
all kinds, bark, cotton, flax, iron, flaxfeed, wax,
indigo, pot-afh, tar, pitch, turpentine, flcins, and
furs, are among the articles here contemplated. To
thefe may be added wheat, flour, and Indian corn>
taken in fmall quantities except when neceffity com-
pels large importations; alfo tobacco and rice,
which are confumed in a fmall proportion in Britain,
but contribute to fwell her exports, and increafe
her carrying trade to other countries. 'Tis manifeft,
that all thefe exports are much to be defired on her
part, and that it would bemofl: profitable to the Uni-
ted States, to r)ianufaBure the raw materials^ and to
expend the provijions on their own manifadturers ;
and to furnifh the rice and tobacco, by the direU
voyage, to thofe nations which are fupplied circuit-
oufly through Britifli ports. In another point of
view, the intercourfe with Great-Britain is not par-
ticularly to be courted by the United States. It
has been already obferved, that we imported of
their manufactures, in 1784, £'. 3,648,007 ilerling,
and in 1785 £^2, 308,013, which appear, on a me-
dium of thofe two years, to have been equal to
above one third of the mamfaBures they exported,
to all other foreign nations! How immenfely benefit
ciaL how indifpenfhly neccJJ'ary to the Britifh ma-

193

nufaftiirers, are fuch confumers ? Let it be aflved,
and candidly anfwered, if they or we are to court
fuch bufinefs ? If any inviting meafures are to be
adopted by this country, it would be more wife to
court the capitalifts, manufadurers, and artizans,
of the feveral countries of Europe, which are over-
charged with private wealth and population. It
may be urged, that we are ftrongly induced to court
Great-Britain for credit. The anfwer is, that (he
cannot venture to withhold her fabrics, whatever
may be our time of payment; for in the prefent
ftate of things, a years abfence of Britifh goods
from our markets, would give an immcnfe fpring
to our own manufaQures. But there is a ftrong
fymptom of the ability of the United States to do
without a very extenfive credit, from any particu-
lar nation, in the abundant fupplies of China and
Eaft-India goods, which are imported from every
part of thofe countries with which we trade,
amountingprobably, to more than a fifth of our con-
fumption of foreign commodities. This independ-
ency on any particular nation, which is in the high-
eft degree to be defired, will be fenfibly promoted
by the eftablifliment of our good name in other fo-
reign countries, by ftrengthening our new and
wholefome guards around the rights of property,
and by the recent multiplication and extenfion of
banks. Though no fuch pecuniary inftitution ex-
ifted ten years ago, fix banks are eftabliihed now in
five different cities ; and their capitals exceed at
this time a moiety of our importations. The ac-
commodations and facilities which will refolt from

B b

194

them, muft exceedingly promote the independency
of the American merchant and confumer, on fo-
reign credits.

THAT "IT WILL NOT BE THE INTEREST OF ANY OF THE
GREAT MARITIME POWERS TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN
VESSELS FROM THE BaRBARY STATES,"

The lull of power has feldom given rife to
a lefs reputable fentiment in the bofom of an
individual than that which we arc now to no-
tice. Like the inftruftion of the flagitious fa-
ther to his fon, to get money, it is advifed, that
naval Jlrength fhould be fecured, per fas et
nejas. But it is not afferted, that any nation
maintains this do6trine. It has been urged in an-
fwer againil us, that we import flaves, which
has in a very great degree ceafed ; for the veiTels
from Africa, in the whole returned year, were Icfs
than four hundred tons. But let the circumftan-
ces of the cafe be examined and candidly confider-
ed. When high duties on the importation of
flaves were impofed before the revolution, by fome
of the colonial affemblies, they were rendered of
no efFe8: by the negative of the crowUy upon the
fame principles, that now determine the condu6l of
many of the European fhipholders and manufactu-
rers— becaufe the abolition of the flave trade would
curtail their refpeftive advantages. During and (ince
the war, mod of the ftates have prohibited thofe
importations: feveral have aboliflied flavery ; and
we find as above hinted, that no more than 385

195

tons of fhipping arrived from Africa in twelve
months fubfequent to Auguft 1789, in all the dates,
belonging to us, and all other nations. Whether
thefe had on board any flaves, is not known. Greats
Britain cannot prefs a country, thus conducing
itfelf, on the fubjeftof the flave trade, feeing that
her colonies continue to import tens of thoufands
per annum.

But it is conceived, that the reverfe of lord Shef-
field's pofition is true, and that it is the intereft of
moft of the great maritime powers, to purfue mea-
fures, which might tend to free the Americans from
the piracies of the Barbary ftatcs. It may be
among the means of transferring to thofe nations,
from Great-^Britain, ^^ a part of the fovereignty of
the ocean!* and " a part of the commerce of the world,
which, it is alledged, her naval power has fecured to
her.*' The balance of power, if it be accurately
defined, muft be ftated to comprehend now the ba-
lance of 7Zflt/fl/power. To attain and preferve that,
the firft ftep is manifeftly to diveft any nation, which
may pofTefs it, of " the fovereignty of the ocean."
That fovereignty can comport with the true inte.
refts and dignity of no other kingdom. It will be
more advantageous to the (everal nations, who are
not actually the firft in the fcale of naval power,
that the United States fhould acquire a portion of
the marine force of a nation, too potent by fea,
than that fuch a nation, if it really has been the
cafe, fhould continue to give law upon the ocean :
and it is manifeft, that no one of thofe nations can

196

be fatisfied, that any other Ihould prefcribe the law
there. The de(tru6lion of no particular kingdom
is alledged to be rcquifite to the well being of this^
or any other country : but it certainly is not necef-
fary, that the other nations of the world fhould
promote, or acquiefce in meafures, calculated to
fupport any one kingdom in a naval diftatorfhip.
This degree of marine ftrength is not requifite for
the felf-defence of any nation ; and it may evident-
ly be perverted to interrupt the commerce and to
difturb the tranquility of Europe. Whether this
has been the cafe, (concerning which no aflertion
is here made) it remains for the nations concerned
feverally to determine. If it has been, if it may
be, and if it probably will be, then it alfo remains
for them to decide, whether it be their true intereft
to join in the honourable league with the Barbarians
againft the honeft commerce, and the perfonal li-
berties of the citizens of the United States.

THAT " THE BRITISH ISLANDS WOULD BE CROUDED WITH
DUTCH, FRENCH, AND OTHER FOREIGN VESSELS, IF THEY
WERE TO BE LAID OPEN.**

A direEl contradiQion cannot be given to thig
afiertion : but probabilities are ftrongly againft it.
The free ports of the French iflands are thus laid
open ; yet the whole tonnage, ^which ufally pafTes
between them and the United States, in the courfe
of a year, exclufively of their own fhips, thofe
of the United States, and thofe of Great-Britain,
do not exceed two per cent, of the whole tonnage
employed in the trade; and though the Britifh veflels

197

have an equal opportunity with the fhips of France
and of thefe ilates, yet they carried but eight IVnall
cargoes to all the French iflands, during the return-
ed year. From the nature of the WeR-India trade,
and of the commodfties tranfported, it cannot be
fupported, unlefs the veflels be owned by the inha-
bitants of the iflands, or thofe of this country. Si-
milar fads occur, in examining the trade with the
Dutch ports in the Weft-Indies, and on the main;
and the fame obfervations, it is conceived, would
juftly apply to them. But what could thofe foreign
velTels carry to the Englifh iflands ? By the other
Britifli regulations, they could tranfport no Amcru
f^an articles, and they cannot fhip from their own
dominions, with a chance of profit, a cargo of the co-
modities, which are permitted to be imported from
foreign countries, into the Britifli Weft-Indies.

SECTION V.

THE next errors in the obfervations of lord
Sheffield, on which it is neceflary to animadvert,
are fome which are not inconfiderable, with re-
fpeB: to the a61ual and probable

POPULATION OF THE UniTED StATES.

He is of opinion that our population is not like-
ly to increafe as it has done on our coafts; that we
had fallen off in numbers in 1784; and that the
emigration from the United States would be very
coniiderable. The ftate of Rhode-Ifland, all of

198

which lies near the fea, was proved by a6lual enu-
meration, in 1783, to contain 51,896 perfons.
The unhappy condition of that government, and
the confequent interruption of its trade, fifheries,
and manufaftures, from 1786 to the beginning of
1790, occafioned great emigrations from thence
into the other ftates. Yet the cenfus, which was
completed before the firft day of May, in the pre-
fent year, amounts to 68,825. Delaware, which,
like Rhode-Ifland, has no back country, and lies
upon the coaft, was eftimated at 35,000 perfons,
in a return, which lord Sheffield affirmed in 1783,
to be too high. Its population is proved, by the ac-
tual enumeration juft completed, to be 59,094.
ConneQicut, another ftate upon the coaft, was com.
puted in the fame return, which he mentions in
1784, to contain 206,000 perfons. It is well known,
that its population, in proportion to its territory,
was then, and is now, the greateft in the union, and
that it has been inceflantly fending emigrants to
Maine, New-Hampfhire, Vermont, New-York,
Pennfylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and the weft-
em territory: yet the cenfus ffiows it to contain,
at this time, 237,942 inhabitants. New-Jerfey,
another ftate without new or unfettled lands, is rat-
ed in the return, which lord Sheffield queftions, at
150,000, and was proved by an enumeration,
which was taken at the moment he hazarded this
doubt, to contain 149,435 perfons. The cenfus
fhows its prefent population to be 184,139. It
has no unimproved counties or new lands. New.
York was ftated at 200,000, and now appears to be

199

340,120. Pennfylvania, which was faid to be efti-
mated too high, in 1784, at 320,000, amounts to
434,373. M^ffachufetts, including the diftrift of
Maine, is fet down in the difputed eftimation, at
350,000, in 1784 : the cenfus in 1790, proves to
be 475,327. New-Hampfhire, which is found to
contain 141,885, was confidered as having no-
more than 82,200. Maryland, which was eftimat.
ed 220,000, and which has not one county that
does not lie on a navigable river, flowing into the
Atlantic ocean, appears by the cenfus to have
318,729. Virginia, including Kentucky, yffdiS ftat-
ed in the old return to have 400,000, and is
found to contain 747,610, after the feparation of
Kentucky, whofe population is 73,677 more : and
here it is to be remarked, that the ftate of Malfa-
chufetts, though thickly fettled, has manifedly
gained people in the laft nine years, more rapid-
ly than Kentucky, fuppofing the latter to have
had 10,000 inhabitants or upwards, in 1782; and
the part of Virginia, not including Kentucky, has
gained inhabitants much more rapidly than that wef-
tern diftrift. Thefe two fads are mentioned to
prove the error of lord Sheffield's prediction that
our population was not likely to increafe, as it
has done, " on the fea coaft." North-Carolina,
which was dated at only 200,000, is proved to con-
tain 393,751, exclufively of the weftern country
ceded to congrefs by that ftate in the laft year, the
population of which is found to be about 35,691
more. The population of Vermont is above
85,000. That of South Carolina which was ftat-

200

ed at 170^000 proves to be 249,073. The population
of the weltern territory is not yet arcertained.

The whole return above referred to, is alledged,
by our author, to be too high. Its total is 2,389,300,
and it was made the bafis of congreffional afleff-
ments. The beft accounts, as lord Sheffield affirms,
made the number of whites 1,700,000. There
feems, however, from the returns already received,
to be no doubt, that our numbers will prove more
than 3,900,000, by the cenfus taken from Augull,
1790, to April, 1791, inclufive. The population
of the United States has therefore advanced 6^ per
centum on 2l Yciurn m i'jS2y which lord Sheffield
affirmed, in 1784, to be exaggerated.*

The fimplicity of living amongfl the great body
of the American people — the extraordinary facili-
ty of obtaining the means of fubfiftence — migra-
tion to our country — and the non-exiftence of emi-
grations from it, though Nova-Scotia is fo near,
and as lord Sheffield fays, fo tempting — thefe cir-
cumftances have occafioned the United States thus
rapidly to increafe in population, in the lafl: nine
years, though feven of them were extremely difor-
dered and difcouraging. But now, when agricul-
ture is greatly improved, when laws, religion, mo-
rals, liberal and ufeful fcience, arts, manufaQures,
and commerce, are maintained, promoted and ex-
tended— lord Sheffield himfelf will believe, that our
population will encreafe even on the fea coaft.

* See the cenfus of 1791 in this volume.

201

Let foreigners, who fincerely defire information,
take up the Philadelphia directory, publiflied by the
marflial of the United States for the diliritl of
Pennfylvania, and learn by this fimple but authen-
tic docament, the ingredients of which our towns
are compofed, even in a ftate whofe territory is
not one fourth fettled. It will there be feen, that
while our planters' and farmers' fons arc fubdivid-
ing their lands^ or moving forward into lefs popu-
lated fcenes, many of the fons of our artificers and
manufacturers, and very many perfons of thofe oc-
cupations, from foreign countries, are taking their
ftations on the vacant lots in our old ftreets, or com-
mencing new ones. Thejuber and indujlrious joui'-
ne.ymen of Europe ^ who can fear cely fupport the diffi-
culties and expenfes of living there, often become fac-
cefsful mafler workmen here. It may be fafely af-
firmed, that the Scotch combine the advantages of
fobriety, induftry, frugality, and fkill, in as great a
degree as any manufadurers in Europe; yet they
incefiantly emigrate to us, and are remarkably fuc-
cefsful in their various branches.

EMIGRATION.

Great pains are taken by the writer of the
obfervations, to place the emigrants to America in
the moll difcouraging circumftances of diftrefs and
contempt. " Emigration," fays he, " is the natural
refource of the culprit.'' Thofe, who are acquainted
with the hiilory of Europe, fince the beginning of
the feventeenth century, and of the colonies fettled

202

from thence, know, that the emigrants hither have
been^ generally fpeaking, the enterprifing^ and
their followers, or the cpprejfed fubjeBs of unjuji
civil or religious rulers — the latter in the greateft
degree. There is not a flate in the union which
does not contain one or more fe6ls or churches,
which have fled from religious perfecution. No-
thing can be more rational, than that perfons of
Jincere piety and tender confcienceSy fhould feek a
country, in which the aflertion of mere toleration
is deemed as abfurd, as the denial of religious liber*
ty is thought to be criminal. Hence Prefbyterians,
Congregationalifts, Quakers, Baptifts, and others,
have fled hither from England; Seceders and Epif-
copalians from Scotland ; Catholics and Prefbyte-
rians from Ireland; Hugunots from France; Pro-
teltants from the dominions of the Catholic princes
of Germany ; and Catholics from thofeof the Pro-
teftant princes. Two centuries have not elapfed,
fince all the dominions of the United States were
an howling wildernefs. They now contain near
four millions of people. From whence have they
been derived ? In great numbers from various
parts of Europe, by inceffant ftreams of emigra-
tion. But it may be ailced, are thefe people hap-
py and profperous? Does the foil they cultivate,
yield them any return for their labour? They pro-
cure for themfelves comfortable habitations, food,
raiment, and other conveniencies, and have ex-
ported in a Tingle year, above twenty millions of

203

dollars in value!* How then can thefe people
have been " miferably difappointed in their expec-
tations of profperity here ?"

But lord Sheffield afTures all emigrants, that they
will be diftrefTed, nay, ruined, by taxes; and that
our public burdens are heavier than thofe of any
country in Europe. It appears, however, that we
are now in the middle of the third year of our ge-
neral government, and notwithftanding all our late
arrearages, and the funding of our debts, neither
a tax on lands, nor any fpecies of dire6l tax, is
contemplated. No excife upon any article ofcon-
fumption or ufe is laid or propofed, except a very
fmall one on fpirituous liquors, compared with
thofe in Europe. Befides this, the impoft, or du-
ty on foreign goods imported is the fole revenue,
that is raifed upon the people, and it is, on a me-
dium, lefs in currency, than the fame articles pay
in Jlerlingy in all the principal countries of Eu-
rope. Where, then, are thefe infupportable bur-
dens with which this writer attempts to alarm Eu-
ropean emigrants ?

Under the head of emigration, lord Sheffield
has laid himfelf open to a more fevere meafure of
juft remark, than it is agreeable to deal out to
him. It ought not, however, to be unnoticed,

* The cxportations of the year ending on the 30th Septembeii
1792, exceeded 21 millions of dollars. Thofe of the year follow-
ing were 26,000,000.

that he gravely brings forward a ftory, on the au-
thority of a namelefs letter from Philadelphia, of
" two fine Irifil youths being purchafed by a negro
fruit Irller, in that city, and employed in hawking
fruit about the ftreets, and in the meanefl employ-
ments/' How dangerous mufl be the fituation of
a government, which has a(:ted upon the informa-
tion and reafonings brought forward by a mind
capable of ufing fuch means to carry his points,
admitting the letter were genuine ! How unlike a
dignified ftalefman does lord Sheffield appear, in
exclaiming, after this very little flory, " Iri/h-
vicnjiiji emancipated m Eiwope, go to America to
become Jlaves to a negro /" and what will be
thought when it is known, that in the legidature
of the very flate (Pennfylvania) in whofe capital
he alleges the fa6l took place, there were, about
the time of his publication, no lefs than twenty-
eight Irifhmen and fons of Irifhmen, though the
whole body confided of but fixty-nine members?
We are willing that the fortunes of the Irifh in
this country fhould determine the expediency of
their continuing to emigrate hither. As fome pains
have been taken by him to excite the apprehenfions
of the Germans alfo, it may not be improper to
obfervethat there have generally been from fifteen
to eighteen members of the fame legiflative body^
who were natives of Germany or their fons.

205

KENTUCKY AND THE WESTERN TERRITORY.

It was boldly aflerted by lord Sheffield, in 1784,
that the people of the interior country of America,
were " mere nominal fubjefts," and would fpeedi-
ly imitate and multiply the examples of indepen-
dence. The regular organization of the govern-
ment of the territory north-weft of the Ohio hnce
that time, the arrangements made fhortly after, for
the ereBion of Kentucky into a feparate ftate, with
the confent of Congrefs and Virginia, the ceflion
of the extenfive country fouth of the Ohio to Con-
grefs in 1790, and its eftablifliment as a kind of
temporary tief of the general government (with ci-
vil officers appointed by the Prefident) to be ad-
mitted into the union as an entire new member,
when its population fhould be fufficiently numc-
rous, the adoption of the federal conftitution by a
deliberate a6l of a fpecial convention of Vermont,
and the formal admiffions of that ftate and Ken-
tucky into the American union, at their own defire,
and by an a6l of the legiflature of the United
States, have, as far as poffible, contradi61ed the
prophecy.

Another opinion, in regard to thofe diftant
fcenes, is, that they can derive no benefit from
the American ftates. At this moment, the arm of
government is extended, and its funds are appro-
priated, to prote8: them againft the hoftilities of
the Indians; and the whole regular military force.

2o6

which it has been thought neceflary to fupport, was
raifed, and is now employed in their defence. The
Atlantic rivers, from the Miflifippi to the Mohawk,
which nature has formed as the channels of their
trade, can be cleared of natural and political ob-
Itrudions only by the meafures of the Atlantic
ftates ; and no lefs than eight feveral plans to that
end are now in preparation or execution in as ma-
ny different places, under the aufpices of the five
ftates, within whofe territories the moft favourable
rivers and grounds have been placed by nature. ■**
Co'ngrefs alone can effe6l the relinquifhmcnt of
the pofts, the keys of the wejlern country. The im-
provement and opening of the many neceflary
roads, leading weflward, muft be done by the a6ls
of the Atlantic ftates, and by their funds. Not a
year elapfes without feveral appropriations of mo-
ney to this obje^. By afincere^jujl, and clofe uni'
on between the inhabitants of the weflern country and
thofe upon the fea coafisy both parties will avoid thofe
expenfivCy bloody y and frequent Jlruggles^ which eve-
ry where difgrace and injure adjacent flates,

THAT NO American articles are so necessary to Great-
Brtiain, as the British manufactures, Cs'c. are to
the Americans.

Lord Sheffield has already admitted, that raw ma-
terials are more precious to Britain than gold; but

* A great and expenfive turnpike road has been commenced
by Pennfylvania, leading directly weftward towards Pittfburg on
the Ohio and Allegany. A. D. 1793.

20/

this was not conceded to America. Thofe things,
which are ineftimable, when they are to be drawn
from countries^ other than the United States, lofc
all their value in his eflimation, when to be deriv-
ed from us. The Britifh manufafturers however
well know, that American raw materials (like thofe
of Ruffia, the Indies and Ireland) are precious,
indeed, to them, becaufe, in addition to their na-
tural value, and their indifpenfible need of them,
when once landed in Britain, they cannot be ma-
nufaftured in America. Timber, plank, boards,
mafts, tar, pitch, turpentine, and pig iron for the
fupport of their navy and fhipping — indigo, potafh,
furs, {kins, flaxfeed, iron, tobacoo, ftaves, fine oil,
&c. for the employment of their manufafturcrs —
rice, wheat, and flour for their fubfiftence — and a
large catalogue of the mod neceffary fupplies for
the Weft-India iflands, which really cannot be ob-
tained elfewhere, without an infupportable addi-
tion to their coft, will not be deemed at this time,
by a rational and well informed man, of lefs impor-
tance to Great-Britain, than the manufaftures of
that country, which they are afiiduoufly endeavour-
ing to difperfe through every quarter of the world,
are to us*.

But it is not intended to wafte arguments on
this allegation. Every man of information, in the
affairs of the two countries, is able to decide on it

* Witnefs the fpecial cmbsfTy to the Chi'nefe antipodes of
Great-Britain.

208

at firft view. Little more appears neccITary than
to remind the parties concerned, that fuch an afler-
tion is among the pofitions, which lord Sheffield
has hazarded, in order that the mifleading tenden-
cy of his book may be duly borne in mind by the
fincere friends of mutually beneficial arrangements.
It may not, however, be amifs to obferve, that al-
though the favourable ideas which have been fug-
gcfted here by way of anfwer, were juftified by
fa8;s and reafon, when that work was publiflied^
yet the American ground is not a little meliorated
by the fubfequent progrefs and prefent ftate of our
nianufaftures — by the experienced inability of Ca-
nada, New-Brunfwick, and Nova-Scotia, to furnifli
the expeded fupplies — by the confequent importa-
tions from the United States of timber and lumber
into Great-Britain, and of more than the former
fupplies into the Weft-Indies — and by the necefla-
ry dependence of Europe on the United States for
the precious articles of grain and flour, which has
been recently afcertained and admitted by unquef-
tionable Englifh authorities.

THE QUALITY OF AMERICAN DISTILLED SPIRITS.

It is not furprifing, that remarks on the bad qua-
lity of American fpirituous liquors fhould run
through ** the obfervations." But the bufinefs of
diftilling is fo limple, that great improvements
"might have been expefted fince 1783. Geneva,
in imitation of that of Holland, is now made in
fome of our fea ports : the reQifying of the or-

209

dinary rums is pra6lired by a few with great
fucccfs.* Peach brandy is made in confiderable
quantities, and, when matured, is the moft exqui-
fite fpirit in the world. Should our rice decline in
price, it is not doubted, that the manufa6lure of
arrack will be attempted. The ingredients, from
which this fpirit is made, have till lately been un-
afcertained in the United States: but it is now be-
lieved, that rice, and coarfe fugar, or melaffes,
are really the articles. When the fuccefs of the
Americans in the manufacture of malt liquors is
remembered, it will not be doubted, that they will
have equal fuccefs in that of diftilled fpirits. A
principal impediment has hitherto been the free and
copious influx of rival foreign liquors, and the ge-
neral reception of flour, &c. in foreign ports.
Every obftruBion to our veflels and fales abroad,
impofed by the European nations, impels to brew-
eries, diftillerics, and manufa8:ures in general,
amongft other modes of creating a demand for our
productions, and employment for our capitals.

** IF THE AMERICAN STATES SHOULD ATTEMPT TO PAY THEIR
DEBTS, THE LANDS OF THE FARMERS MUST FOR SOMETIME
LIE UNDER VERY HEAVY IMPOSITIONS."

This is among the many proofs, which our wri-
ter has given, that he did not poffefs the gift of
prophecy. The American debt has been confider-

D d

* This branch is very much improved within the lafl two years,
particularly by the ProN-idence and Khode-IHand diftilliries —
A. D. 1793.

210

ably reduced by the fale of ftate and federal lands,
and a provifion is made for funding it. A fink-
ing fund has alfo been provided. Yet 7io tax
upon lands has been introduced among the ways
and means. The whole American debt would not
require a tax upon each individual, of four pounds
fterling, to extinguiJJi it forever. That of Great-
Britain would require a tax of more than twenty-
four pounds ten fliillings fterling. Our population
is rapidly increafing, while theirs is comparatively
ftationary. There is a fimilar difproportion in our
favour in the ordinary and extraordinary expenfes
of government and defence. The French debt is
250 per cent, heavier than ours, in proportion to
numbers. Thi^ briefs but. very important article
will not fail to receive due attention from thoje 7f(i(^.^
fincerely defire to make a pfi eflimate of the affair^ ^
of the United States; nor vvill it efcape the obfer-
vations of thofe foreigners, who may be engaged
in refearches into our affairs, or in plans of emi-
gration, fettlement, and landed purchafes in this
country. It will alfo be a fourceof the moft com-
fortable refiedionsto ourown citizens. The people
of Europe, who have read lord Sheffield's book,
will be furprifed to hear that there are no perpetu-
al revenues, no ftamp duties, no window or hearth
taxes, no tythes, no excifes upon leather, beer,
hops, malt, foap, candles, coal or other fuel, or
indeed on any other article in the United States,
excepting only about five pence fterling on diftil-
led fpirits. •

211

'< THAT THE AMERICANS COULD NOT HAVE TRADED WITH

THE French BEFORE the revolution to half the

EXTEI^T THEY DID, HAD JT NOT BEEN FOR THE SPECIE
THEY TOOK FROM THE BRITISH ISLANDS.''

This remark is applied by the writer to our
French Weft-India trade. To judge of the truth
of it, a comparifon of the prefent with the former
ftate of that branch of our commerce will be fuffi-
cient . It will not be doubted, that during their
troubles, and (to take a recent term) for a year*
preceding the firft day of May laft, oar imports
and exports from and to the French Weft-Indies,
were greater than in any year before the war. Yet
our veflels could not procure ipecie in the Britifh
iflands, being prohibited from entering them.
Pickled and dried fifh, beef, rice, Indian corn, oats,
beans, peas, onions, Indian meal, boards, plank,
fcantling, fliingles, handfpikcs, oars, fquare tirtiber,
Haves, heading, hoops, horfes, live ftock, poul-
try, boats, and veffels, &c. to an amount great-
er than the fhipments to all the Weft India iflands,
other than Britifli, before the war, have^ been ex-
ported to the French iflands within theterm of one
year. The courfe of things, in feveraJrefpe^ls, will
probably lefTen our importation of melafles and the
taffia, for rum) which "we have bie,er>. a.ccuftomed to
draw from thence. Bsfides beer and cider, diftilled
fpirits are now made from fruit at\d;grain, in fuch
quantities as to conftitute more than one-third of
our confumption and export of ihong liquors, other

than wines. Plentiful harvefts of fruit neceffarily
increafe the manufaBure from that ingredient;
becaufe it is too perifhable to export. Abundant
harvefts of grain, or low markets abroad, have a
fimilar efFe8; on diftillation from that material.
The meafures of the national affembly of France,
in regard to tobacco, will add to the many objec-
tions which before exifted againft the ufual culti-
vation of it. Barley, rye, and oats, from which
the grain-liquors are principally made, as alfo wheat
and Indian corn, will be produced in much larger
quantities, fliould we decline the cultivation of to-
bacco in any confiderable degree. If we continue,
after a fnort time, to import choice rums, brandies,
and arrack, to the amount of five per cent, on our
whole confumption, and manufaQure the remain-
der, which will require four millions of buftiels of
barley, rye and oats, and more fo far as we make
beer, we (hall want lefs funds abroad for the pur-
chafe of molaffes, and we (hall confirm the ability
we have fhown, to carry on a trade with the French
iflands, greater than formerly, xvithout fpecic taken
from the BritiJJi Wejl-Indies.

'« THAT THE United States lost much by the separa-
tion tkoM Great-Britain.'*

This is an opinion, which it was very natural
for an Engli(h writer in 1783 to adopt. It was dif-
ficult at that time to compare, with the requifjt^
certainty and precifion, the benefits in point of
pecuniary advantage, which the United States

213

might have rcafonably expected in a colonial, and
in an independent fituation. It would be m<)re
eafily and better done at the preient, but cannot
be attempted at large in this place. Some ideas on
the fubjeft, however, may ferve to evince the er-
ror of the affertion.

It is true, that by the reparation of the two
countries, the United States incurred a debt of a-
bout/^. 15,000,000 lie rling, which, however, was
entirely fpent in the country, as was a great part
of the French and Britipi expenditures. Great-
Britain increafed her public debt, in the fame tune,
j^'. II 5,000,000. The whole burden on both fides
appears then to be about ^.130,000,000 fterling.
There is the ftrongeft probability, from the rapidi-
ty of the increafe of the Britifh debt, which, in
lefs than a century, grew up from nothing to
^.270,000,000, and which is in the prefent year
fwelling to a larger fize, that, without the Ameri-
can war, the Britifli nation would have been bur-
dened on this day, with at leaft two hundred inil-
lions. Confidering the rate in which the objefts
of taxation or means of revenue have increafed in
this country, there is reafon to believe, that by
this time we fliould have been thought able to en-
dure a proportion of the ways and means requifite
to fupport that debt, equal to our numbers; this
would have been above one-fourth of the whole,
or Jifty millions Jterlingt and is three and one-third
times our prefent debt. It may be faid, we paid
no (uch contribution ; and the affertion, by refer-

214

ence to the former public accounts, would appear
on paper to be true: but we wereinjurioufly rein
trained, in regard to the fources of our fupplies,
and the vents of our produce and manufaftures ; we
were prohibited from the labour-faving modes of
inanufaQuring; and it is too plain that the prohibi-
tions would have been continued. The impofl:
went into the Britifh treaiury; our lands were fub-
je8; to quit-rents, which, belonging to the crown,
have either fallen to the prefent government, or
have been entirely aboliflied. The effeQs of the
commercial monopoly were prodigious. It may
be ttrikingly exemplified in the fingle article of tea.
We have already feen that we imported above three
millions of pounds in the year following Augufl
1789. The medium price of fine and coarfe teas
was above one third of a dollar more favourable to
us in 179O, than in 1774; by which a difference of
a million of dollars, and the whole impoft on the ar-
ticle, are faved to the country.

The facility of naturalization under our prefent
laws, is very much in favour of the introdu6tion of
people, and of ans, manufaftures, and capital from
foreign countries. Lands may be held in almoll
every (late, and his occupation or trade may be pur^
fued, immediately on the arrival of an emigrant.
A term much (Irorter than that prefcribed by the
Britilh ftatute before the revolution, entitles him to
all the benefits of citizenfiiip. It is impoffiblc to
ellimate the value of this circumltance to a coun-
try to well calculated to induce emigration, to fup-

215

port an iricreafed population, and to employ capital
and artificers^ as the United States.

jLord Sheffield obferves, that the Britifli eftablifll-
ment in this country gave it an advantage of
j^. 370,000 Ilerling per annum. He fliould not
have omitted to mention, that great part of this
fum was expended on the Floridas, .Canada, and
Nova Scotia : and it is to be obferved, that many
of the articles were imported, and not of our pro-
duction or manufacture. The mere confumption
of Britifii and Irifli goods by the Britifh and Irifii
officers, foldiers, and failors, Rationed or em.
ployed here, could not benefit the people of Ame-
rica. It is paft a doubt, that the faies of the
lands alone, which have fallen to the dates and
to the general government, have yielded annu-
ally a larger fum by the purchafes of citizens
and foreigners. The cuftoms and quit-rents muft
alfo have been a full reimburfmcnt. But it is un-
neceflary to dwell longer on this article; for what
ever may have been the former opinions of many in
the two countries concerning it, the fubjeCl is at this
time fo illumined, and prejudice and mifconcep-
tion are fo completely done away, that no perfons
of judgment and information now believe, " the
United States have lojl by the feparation from Great-
Britain," It is, however, true that the American
dates were in a train of profperity before the revo-
lution, which promifed greater wealth and liappi-
nefs than appeared to av.'ait the people of anv other
country. Lord Sheffield might reafonablv efiimate

2l6

their profpe6ls very highly. To infure the expeft-
ed profperity, however, it was deemed theoretically
right, that the provincial " parliaments" (the execu-
tive head of the empire by himfelf or a reprefentative
and the legiflative houfes of each) ftiould enaft all
laws. Though fome conceffions to what was con-
fidered as " the necejfity of the cafe^" were frankly
made, limiting the pra6i:ical extenfion of this found
theory, yet it is plain, that unlefs it could have been
fubftantially adhered to, in the adminiftration of
the American governments, no reliance could have
been placed on the continuance of that degree of
profperity, which exifted, nor on the attainment of
that height, which circumftances otherwife promif-
ed. The wonderful advancement of Great-Britain
in almoft every particular, except her finances, dur-
ing the prefent century, and the comparatively
Imall progrefs of Ireland in the fame term, afford
a ftriking example of what might have happened
to this country, and furnifh the befl reafons to be.
lieve, that the United States (as to mere emolu-
ment) have gained prodigioufly by commuting for
the great influence and undefined power of two
legiflative bodies, aBually rival and then tjjentially
foreign, the advantages of governing themfelvesin
all refpeQs, according to the prudent dictates of
iheir own interefis. As to the more important ar-
ticle, o^ a genuine free cow/2zifw^iow,un exaggerated by
political enthufiafm, and unvitiated by any alloying
ingredients, America may with modefty affirm, that
fhe is nearer to that primary objeB of human defire*
than fhe would have been in the pofTeflTion of the

217

moll favourable ground, which her beft friends in
Britain ever propofed for her before the feparation

SECTION VI.

I T was intimated, in a preceding part of tbefe
papers, that the United States have not fuftained
any lofs in the important article of fliip-building,
which it is propofed now to fhow, in treating of

" SHIPS BUILT FOR ORDINARY COMMERCE AND FOR SALE."

■6 i I: ' ri :■ ;

This branch was of confiderable value to the
United States before the revolution. Its import-
ance appears greater now, whether it be viewed
with regard to the increafed quantity (for there ap-
pear^ good reafon to think it confiderably increaf-
c^y6t with refpe6l to the enhanced value of mer-
chant fhips to an independent and maritime coun-
try. The quantity built in thefe dates, on the ave-
rage of 1769, 1770, and 1771, which are the lateft
y^ars in lord Sheffield's tables, was 21,726 tons.
An account equally minute, for any recent term,
hsL^ not been obtained; but it is known, that in fif-
ty-three cuftom-houfe diftri6ls (and there are fif-
'*''teen more,)29,6o6 tons of fliipping were built be-
tween the fourth day of March 1790, and the fourth
day of March 1791. This is believed to be, in many
inftances, the tonnage paid for to the carpenters;
and, in thofe cafes, is lefs than the vefTels really
meafure ; as they are a body of workmen, who
generally deal liberally. The remaining fifteen

ii8

diftnQs will not be found to have built in propor-
tion to the fifty three, whofe a6lual prefent building
is dated ; but the quantity already known, is con-
fiderably beyond the medium of lord Sheffield's
tables, for 1769 to 1771, above mentioned. In
the cafe of New- York, the whole is known, and is
two hundred and thirty-eight tons more than
the former tables. In New-Jerfey, the building
in fome diftriQs is unknown, and the difference is
two hundred and eighty-eight, tons in favour of
the late return. In Conne6licut, the whole of the
building is ftatcd, and it is five hundred and thir-
ty-four tons in favour of the latter term. In Penn-
fylvania and Delaware, the whole is alfo known :
and the late return exceeds the former by 3,900
tons. In North-Carolina, a return of three diltri6ts
(out of five) only is obtained; and it exceeds the
former average by 925 tons. In the ftate of Rhode-
Ifland, the whole is afcertained, and it exceeds the
former average by about 100 tons. The port of
Baltimore alone, in Maryland, exceeds all the fhip-
building of that ftate, in the grfeateft of the three
years, by near 100 per cent. The veffels built in
Connefticut, in the returned year, are 40 per cent,
more than the medium of lord Sheffield's tables ;
and Maflachufetts exceeds the former medium by
3,713 tons*.

It is true, however, that this bufinefs in one of
the principal building ftates, has fallen off; but

^ The general increafe fince Is very confiderable. A. D. 1793.

219

there many of the veffels intended for fale, were ufu-
ally built; and it is admitted by lord Sheffield;
that thofe were our word veflels. It is very mate-
rial to the United States, and entitles us to a larg-
er credit in an accurate ettimation of things, that
much more of our naval military ftores, cordage,
twine, nails and fpikes, fail cloth, plumbers' work,
rofin, fpirits of turpentine, linfeed oil, paints, brafs
and copper work, and other lefs important articles
expendad in building and arming fliips, are of the
produce and manufacture of the country, than was
the cafe in 1771. It is alfo an important truth>
that much greater numbers of foreign veffels are
repaired, altered, fupplied with cordage and fail
cloth, painted and otherwife wrought upon by our
various workmen, the money for which, may be
fairly carried to the account of this branch.

At the time when lord Sheffield wrote, it was not
known how much the oak of Great-Britain had de-
creafed. We have already noticed this point ;
and it may be further remarked, that it cannot but
decreafe yet more, as the fupplies of oak from the
Baltic, are often intercepted by the competition of
Pruffia, Sweden, Denmark, Ruffia, Portugal, Hol-
land, Spain and France, all but the firtl of which
vigoroufly maintain their naval power; and Pruf-
fia has become very confiderable in private ffiips.
Lord Sheffield thinks that the cheapnefs of Ameri-
can fiiipping arofe from their being ill-found and
deficient in iron. There is little doubt that the
extreme cheapnefs of thofe built for fale, was oc-

220

cafioned partly by the caufe he mentions : but the
beft double-deck or galley-built fhips, with live-oak
lower timbers, and red-cedar top-timbers, with
wliite-oak plank on their bottoms, and either that
timber or yellow pine for their top-fides, can be
built and fitted for taking in a cargo, at thirty-four
dollars, or £ .q 13s. fterling per ton ; and as good a
veflel cannot be procured in Great Britain, France
or Holland, under fifty-five to fixty dollars.*

As the building of coafling and fifhing veffels,
boats in new forms for our improving inland naviga-
tion,vefrels on various conftruQions for public fer-
vice, and for a very diverfified foreign trade, will not
only keep the art oflhip-building at itsprefent height,
but will advance it in all refpeQs, it appears to be
very doubtful, whether we fhould anxioufly defirc
to lupply foreigners with fuch cheap means of ri-
valling us in the carrying trade and fifheries. Our

* The papers of the BritlHi fociety for naval architecture fhevr,
that (hips fit for the Eaft-India fervice are advanced in their coft,
fince 1 77 1, forty Ihilllngs fterling, nearly equal to nine dollars,
per ton. — that timber is confiderably diminifhed in quantity, and
enhanced in value, in the laft twenty years — that the body of work-
ing fhipwrights, in 1789, were much inferior to thofe of twenty
ytars back — and that the late ads of parliament refpeding regif-
ters of fhips and other regulations intended to increafe Britlfh fhip-
building, had not operated in their favour. Profitable employment
for 'very expenjive and numerous fhips cannot be created and extended
by a mere legiflative Jiat. Beyond a certain degree it cannot be
obtained unlcfs the reft of the world negleft thofe means which
Great-Britain purfues to increafe and maintain her navigation, fo-
reign trade, and manufadures.

221

fhip and boat yards are not confined to a fpot, but
indeed are more diffufed than formerly. There is
no flate whofe citizens do not purfue the bufinefs*
and it is commenced upon the weftern waters. Be-
fore the revolution, above half our veffels were
paid for by a barter of credit goods for the labour
and (kill of the artificer ^ inftead of which he now
generally receives weekly payments in folid coin.

*' THAT THE IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF THE UniTED

States will continue for a long time the same.**

This will be found on examination very erro-
neous. Pot and pearl afhes are Ihipped in an in-
crealed ratio of nineteen to four. The American
merchants were once great exporters of iron,
hemp, raw hides, and other articles, which they
now import in large quantities. The importations
of coarfe linens, paper, hats, flioes, fteel, nails, car-
riages, malt liquors, and many other articles are con-
fiderably reduced. Should impediments be thrown
in the way of our fifheries, fhipping and foreign com-
merce, there can be no doubt that policy, intereft
and feeling will prompt us to purfue with decifion
and ardour the objeB of manufaElures, which will
give employment to our own capital, and that, which
we may derive from foreigners. It muft be mani-
feft, for example, that if we are to receive rum in
foreign bottoms, and to be refufcd the tranfpor-
tation of flour and grain, which are wanted
from us in return, we (hall not long continue to
ufe foreign fpirits. Our brewers already fupply us

222

with more beer than we confume. No more than
70,000 gallons and 17,500 dozen bottles have been
imported in an entire year, ending in Auguft 1790,
three times which quantity is made with cafe, by a
iingle brewery, on a very modeate fcale. This branch
basincreafed and flourifhed in thelaft twoyears,and
an exportation greater than the importation above
Hated, has certainly taken place. The home-made
diftillcd fpirits are already more than twice as great
in quantity, as the fpirits imported. If our tobacco
Ihips are excluded from France, they will not bring
us brandies; and the grain, that will be raifed on
our tobacco lands, will yield fpirituous and malt li-
quors to enable us to relinquifh foreign brandy.
Should a confiderable part of our capital be forced
out of navigation and foreign trade, the govern-
ment, without impofing generally heavy protefting
duties, burdenfome to the nation, may give em-
ployment for the money, by holding out efFedual
encouragement to one branch of manuJaBiires at a
ihnc. If it be feleQed with judgment — if the ufe
of manual labour be confined within as narrow
limits as poflible — if labour-faving machines be
ufed — if the raw articles it works on, be made free
of impoll duty — if the growth of them be encou-
raged at home — if a convenient progrefiivc duty
be impofed, there can be little doubt of fuccefs.
The example of a well- arranged and fortunate at-
tempt once fet, others will naturally follow ; and
nations, fome of whofe politicians now grudgingly
perceive them to take from us the food they are
unable to rai fc, and who treat as a favour the recep-

523

tion (Jf our precious raw materials, may difcover,
when it will be too late, the evils induced by aa
over-driven fpirit of monopoly *.

*' THB CAPACITY OP THE UnITED StATES TO SUPPLY Eu-
ROPE WITH GRAIN AND FLOVR."

A recent publication of lord Sheffield's, upon the
fubje6l of the Britifli corn trade, has lately appear-
ed in this country. As in " the obfervations on
our commerce," fo in this pamphlet, he endea-
vours to (how fallacy in all fuch ideas as favour the
importance of the United States to Great-Britain.
As this examination has been neceflarily made with

* After a very careful eftimate of a number of the principal
branches of American manufadure, the writer of this paper does
not hefitate to affirm, that the fhoes and boots, fadlery and other
articles of leather, gunpowder, fnufF, paper and paper hangings,
playing cards, pafteboards, books, linen, cotton, and woolen cloths,
hohery, thread, hats, wool and cotton cards, fet work and watches,
manufadures of gold, filver, iron, fteel, brafs, lead, pewter, and
copper, cordage, twine, fail-cloth, carriages of all kinds, malt li-
quors, new Ihips and boats, leathern gloves and breeches, parch-
ment, glue, cabinet wares, linfeed oil, foap, candles, potaih, diftil-
led fpirits, drugs and chemical preparations, and earthen ware,
made in the year laft part, exceed in value the manufadured goods,
which Great-Britain (hipped in the fame term, to all foreign nations,
but the United States. It will be proper to obfervc in this place,
that chocolate, cheefe, wafers, (larch, hair powder, ivory and horu
wares, whips, millenary, ftays, wind for chairs, corn fans, wheel-
barrows, fpirits of turpef»tine, paints, bru(hes, glafs wares, bricks,
ftone and marble wares, repairs of vc(rels, muftard, loaf fugar,
fait, the great article of making up apparel, coopers* wares, and
other things of the nature of manufiii^turcsi were not included iij
the eftimate above mentioned.

224

little adherence to form or order, and as the prO'
du^ion and commerce of grain, conftitute, without
any exception, the moft valuable and moft com-
manding of our advantages, it will not be impro-
per, to take fome notice of this new attempt of his
lordihip's, to difleminate erroneous information
and opinions on American affairs.

According to the lateft of his tables, the Ameri-
can j&rot/mcds, in 1770, exported but 46,000 tons
of bread, flour, and meal, 578,349 bulhels of In-
dian corn, 24,859 bufhels of oats, and 851,240
bufhels of wheat: and he defires it to be believed,
that the United States will not be able, in this par-
ticular, to exceed their exportations before the re-
volution. The return of exports*, fo often men-
tioned, contains the following articles. —

724,623 barrels of flour, "|
'jSfi^7 do. of bread, '^weighing 77,000 tons.
99,975 do. of meal, J
1,124,458 bufhels of wheat,

21,765 do. of rye,-— (of which article none
was exported in 1770.)
2,102,137 do. of Indian corn.
98,842 do. of oats,
7,562 do. of buckwheat, (of which alfo
none was exported in 1770.)
38,752 do. of peas and beans, (of which alfo
none was exported in 1770.)

* See the return of exports ending 30th September, 1792. Alfo
that ending 30th September, 1793,

225

It appears, then, that on comparing the acknow-
ledged exports of bread and flour, in 1770, with
thofe of the prefent time, a difference of 50 per
.cent, is fhown in favour of our agriculture, and
that we (hip near four times the quantity of Indian
corn, and one-third more of wheat, befides the
new articles of beans, peas, buck-wheat and rye^
The tobacco, exported in the above term, was at
the rate of 36 per cent, per annum more than be-
fore the revolution, befides the difference in the
quantity now manufadured. Many circun;iftances
are combining to turn the attention of the planters
of this article in the grain ftates, towards wheat,
barley, oats, and Indian corn. This is not a new
ide^ in American farming; for although wheat was
jnuch lower before the revolution than it now is^
^he cultivation of tobacco in Virginia and Mary-
land, was aQually declining. The more IbutherQ
ilates had not then attempted the production of thi^
^article to any confiderable extent. The lands,
which produced the above extra quantity of to-
bacco, would have yieWed 800,000 bufliels of
•wheat; the labour would have produced more;
and fuppofing that half the foil and induflry, which
•were applied to tobacco in 1789, fhould be appro-
priated to grain, an addition of 1,400,000 bufhels
■might be made to our produQions of that article.
To fupply the tobacco, fome of the rich lands of
the more fouthern dates might be employed in its
cultivation. But lord Sheffield tells the people of
Britain with great gravity, that onl/'fli^' weftern
parts of ConneQicut, and the fta^^s of New-York,

F f

226

New- Jerfey, Delaware, Pennfylvania, Maryland and
Virginia, are capable of yielding wheat. He ftiould
have added, that thofe ftates contain twice as much
land as the kingdoms of Great-Britain and Ireland^
thofe iflands being computed at lefs than 100,000
fquare miles by their own geographers. The ftates
of New-Jerfey, Delaware, and Maryland, together
\vith three-fifths of Pennfylvania, three-fifths of
New-York, and about one half of Virginia, all
which lie fufficiently near to naturally navigable
water, to raife grain for exportation, contain above
130,000 fquare miles. Kentucky, North-Carolina,
and the weftern parts of South-Carolina and Geor-
gia, and Vermont, will alfo add confiderably to
our exports of grain, when mills, canals, &c. fhall
encourage the growth and facilitate the tranfporta*
tion. But the ftate of population is the point to
which candour and judgment ought to have led a
political economift to advert. He fhould have re-
fleQed, that the United States, whofe territory is
about 1,000,000 of fquare miles, are not yet culti-
vated and inhabited, by more than 4,000,000 peo-
ple*; that Great-Britain and Ireland, with about a
tenth of the land (or 100,000 fquare miles) have
xwice the agricultural population ; and that the pro-
duftive powers of this country, (which appears to
have doubled its people in 25 years, though injur-
ed by eight years of a deftru6live war,) are a mean
€f human fujienance, to which the more prudent

* The a<Eiual number of the inhabitants of the United States
appears to be from 3,900,000 to 4,000,000. See appendix^ pa-
per A. A. jD, 1 79 1.

227

nations of Europe will, and to which all, in the time
of need, mud have recourfe. If their govern-
ments prevent it, many of their manufadurers and
mechanics at leaft mufl flee from them. The fu-
preme law of neceflity will have its due operation,
and people, whofe means are rendered, by injudi-
cious regulations, unequal to their wants will cer-
tainly refort to thofe fcenes where cheaper food
and better wages infure them relief.

It is manifeft that the great increafe of our por
pulation has been attended with a very confiderable
addition to our exports of eatables. The ftate-
ment made in the beginning of the obfervations,
on this article, is a proof of it. Befides this, our
Ihipments of beef and pork,* are above two and
a half times greater than in 1770, of butter four
times, of cheefe two and a half times, of potatoes
four times, and of rice nearly as great. Add to
this, that we have almoft put an end to the impor-
tation of malt liquors, (a manufadure from grain,)
a^id that we Ihip as much of them as we import? —
that we have diminifhed our importation of diftil-
led fpirits, by 1,000,000 of gallons, fince we loft
the importation of Britifh rum in our own veffels
(though our population is more numerous by
1,500,000 of perfons) which has occafioned the
diftillation of grain liquors to the amount probably
of 4,000,000 of gallons, requiring near 2,000,00a
bufhels of grain, as the raw materials.

* They were five times as great in 1792

22B

Oar continuing to export fo large quantities of
grain and flour, notwithftanding this great confump^
tion of rye, barley, oats, and even wheat in diftill*
ing and brewing, is a ftrong proof of our raifing
much more than in former times. But it is not to be
forgotten, that confiderable quantities are confum-
ed by our manufaBurers^ who are rapidly increaf-
ing. It is extremely difficult to afcertain the pro-
portion in which thefe valuable citizens contribute
to the population of our towns. Their numbers in
the city of Philadelphia may afTift to furniftl fame
ground for a reafonable eftimate. The filver-
fmiths, brewers, dillillers, fliip-carpenters, cabinet-
makers, cordwainers, tallow-chandlers, foap-boil-
ers, white and blackfmiths, fteel-makers, turners,
braziers, coachmakefs, copperfmiths, hatters, tai-
lors, weavers, dyers, leather breeches makers, glo-
vers, and fuch other perfons as may be properly
clafled under the head of mami/aBurers fexclufive-
iy of houfe- carpenters, mafons, painters, victual-
lers, bakers, barbers, and others, who cannot be
corretlly denominated fo) appear to be about
2,200 perfons. The city and fuburbs being found
to contain near 43,000 men, women, and children,
and it being generally fuppofed, that the adult
males are about one-fifth of the whole number, it
would appear, that of the 8,600 adult males, con-
tained in Philadelphia, above one-fourth are ma-
nufacturers, and confequently, that of the eatables^
and home-made drinkables, confumed in that
town, above one-fourth are required for their ufe
and that of their wives, children, journeymen, ap-

229

prentices, and fervants : and an addition for the grain
confumed by their horfes and cows may be fairly
made. This ilate of things, it is believed, is ex-
ceeded by many of the towns in the eaftern ftates,
and in fome interior fituations,* where it is mani-
feft that fewer are employed in the learned profef-
fions, and foreign commerce, and not fo many live
upon their incomes.

It will not be afTerted, that the United States
are able to feed all the nations of Europe at the
fame time, nor that they afford any promife
of fo extenfive a capacity in future. Neither are
fuch ideas conveyed by the reprefentation of the
committee of the Britifh privy council, on which
lord Sheffield fo feelingly animadverts. They
reprefent, as the rcfult of a careful and deliberate
enquiry, their thorough conviftion, that the coun-
tries of Europe, taken colleQively, do not pro-
duce, in ordinary years, an aggregate quantity of
grain, larger than what appears requifite for the
confumption of their inhabitants: and they pro-
ceed to obferve, that in the event of a failure of
crops, a ^^Jupply can only be had from America." The
reafonable meaning of their reprefentation is, that
as Europe is an extenfive and populous region,
making great, conftant, and inevitable demands for
food, producing in ordinary feafons, that is, ufual-
ly, <2 7nere competent fupply, but ?20 excejs^ and as it is

* Several inland towns in Pennfylvania, and Winchefter, in
Virginia, have been afcertained to exceed the city of Philadelqhia,
in the proportion of manufadurers.

230

liable t6 partial and even general failures of crops,
it muft, in the event of one of iho^e partial or ge-
neral misfortunes, look to fome other quarter of
the world for relief. With the exception of Bar-
bery, whofe capacity to lupply appears to be much
more limited than ours, no other country than
America could prefent itfelf to the committee.
Great allowances fhould have been made for thofe
gentlemen, by lord Sheffield, admitting, for a mo-
ment, that they were wrong, as it appears proba-
ble they may have been mifled by feveral parts
of his treatife on our commerce, which really
tend to confirm their doftrine. In that publi-
cation, under the head of wheat and Jlour, he
obferves, " that Canada, Nova-Scotia, and
ilie American Jlates are likely to have mod of the
corn trade which England had." Our fupplies to
Nova Scotia have been flatcd; and as they are ad-
mitted from us only when necejjity requires them, the
exifting licenfe of the governor of that province to
introduce American flour, grain, and live ftock
through the zvhole of the fummer (and indeed from
May to November) when the navigation of Canada
is open, will anfwer our enquiries about the capaci-
ty of thofe provinces to take away the corn trade
from England. Under the fame head, and on the
following page, he further fays, " the American
ftates were more than competitors with us for the
wheat trade; they had for fome years engrofled
oiearly the whole of what we had ; and it is compu-
ted, upon an average of five years, they had recei-
ved from Spain and Portugal upwards of £'.320,000

23i

Jlerlingy per annum, for that grain." It will fure-
ly be deemed very reafonable in the committee to
fiippofe that the United Sates, \\'hich were laid
to have fupplied the two kingdoms of Spain and
Portugal, for five (ucceflive years, with wheat alone
to the amount of £'.320,000 fterling, could have
furnifhed to Great Britain the lefs fum of ^.291,000
fterling, in all kinds of grain and flour, which
they have paid to foreign nations for twenty years
paft. Under the head of " (hips built for fale,"
lord Sheffield again confirms the ideas of the com-
mittee, by faying, in very handfome and forcible
language, " America had robbed us, at leaft for a
time, of a corn trade, that fome time ago brought
in to us as much as almoit any article of export,*'
As his lordfliip confiders an honeft competition of
fellow citizens in the light oi robbery , the reafona-
blenefs of his other conceptions, will, no doubt, be
duly examined.

Lord Sheffield leads to a material error, affe6l-
ing the juft eftimation of our corn trade, when he
ftates tobacco to be the principal article of Ameri-
can commerce. It appears, by the return of the
treafury, that Jlour is the moft valuable and (ex-
clufively of the conneQed articles of bread, wheat
and other grain) it exceeded tobacco by a quarter
of a million of dollars. Wheat (including the
commodities made of it) is one-third more valua-
ble than tobacco; and as this lafl produ6lion ap-
pears to have been advanced in quantity, 36 per

232

cent, on a comparifon with the exportation of the
year 1770, when lord Sheffield ftates it to havQ
been our firft, the increaled importance of wheat
is manifefted.*

. If we turn our eyes from Great-Britain to other
countries, the American grain trade does not ap-
pear to be lefs interefting to Europe and her colo-
nies. Spain, Portugal, the wine iflands, the Ba^
hamas, Bermuda, the fugar colonies, the northern
.Britifh colonies, and the foreign fifheries, regular-
ly demand from us fome of the various articles,
which it comprehends. The cultivation of the vine,
ihe advancement of their colonies, the extenfion
of commerce, and the increafe of the manufaQures
of France, which two lad are to be expeQed in
confequence of the revolution in that kingdom,
render it highly probable that they will not be able
to do without fupplies from other countries. It isthe
opinion of one of their beft writers,t that they do
jiot ardinarily export more than one-fifteenth of
their crop. Should any accident — (the introdu6lion
of Britifh and Dutch manufadurers, who are accuf-
tomed to beer, for example) — lead them into brewr
eries, than which nothing is more poflible, that
fmall proportion of furplus would be quickly en-
groITed. There is an highly interefting idea, on
this point, which has been recently darted, and
which may attra8; the attention of their practical

* See exports of 1792 and 1793. f Neeker.

233

politicians: the opinion referred to is, that every
country which manufadures largely, is in a fitua-
tion of confiderably lefs danger of want, if its peo-
ple ordinarily ufe drinks made from grain ; be-
caufe the dreadful confequences of famine may be
avoided with certainty and eafe, by converting to
the ufe of food, the grain which will be regularly
procured from agriculture or importation, to fup-
ply the demands of the brewers and diftillers. The
Dutch have been always unable to raife more than
a fmall proportion of their bread-ftuff and the mo-
dern eftimates of their population countenance the
prefumption of a large increafe. They are, more-
over, great brewers and diftillers from grain : and
their fugar colonies, on the fouthern main, have
wonderfully advanced. Thefe fymptoms of new
demand, on the part of the European nations,
together with the certain requifitions of grain
arifing from the univerfal increafe of manufac-
tures and attention to foreign trade, are ac-
companied by fome important circumftances,
which prevent a proportionate production of that
indifpenfible neceffary. The growth of private
wealth in many parts of Europe, particularly
in Britain, the confequent increafe of horfes for
equipages and other purpofes of pleafure, the lay-
ing out of park grounds, and the diverfion of lands
from the lei's profitable produftion of grain to tha^
of gral's, the declenfion of agriculture in Poland,
by reafon of the extreme badnefs of their internal
arrangements, the probable increafe of Polifli manu-
fadures, fhould they become free, the continual

G g

234

efforts of the European manufaBurers to draw away
the labourers of the farmers, the greater prevalence
of emigration to their colonies and other countries
among the cultivators, than among the manufa6lu-
rers, owing to the wretched fituation of the agri-
cultural poor in countries, where the high value of
land renders it in effetl a monopoly, and the pre-
fent univerfal attention to political reformation,
v/hich for a time interrupts agriculture, are among
the caufes here contemplated.

But it is not unfair to afk, from- what fource arc
the maritime countries of Europe to be fupplied,
in the event of a failure of the crops of one or more
of them, in fo great a degree as from the United
States ? The value of grain, flour, meal, and
bread, from the United States greatly exceeds that
of the fame articles from the kingdom of Naples
and its conne61ed ifland of Sicily, which have been
Gonfidered as the granary of thef Mediterranean.
Poland, once termed the granary of Europe, is lefs
cxtenfive including (Lithuania) than the country of
the United States, which furnifhes grain for Europe.
Its exports are not afcertained: but there appear
llrongprefumptions, that it does not fhip through
Dantzick and Elbing, half as great a value of grain,
and the articles made of grain, as the United States.
Britain, Spain, Portugal, Holland, and lately Flan-
ders, are obliged to import. Ruffia is faid to have
lliipped in 1787, wheat and rye to the amount of near
1,000,000 ofbufhels, but imports grain liquors;
and manufactures are growing, and wars are fre-

235

quent in that kingdom. Sweden imports very
large quantities of rye, and fhips no grain. That
article is much the firft among the imports of Den-
mark and Norway. Pruflia produces much corn,
and exports fome : but manufa6lures are greatly
advanced in that kingdom ; and the home confump-
tion of grain will probably equal the production, in
a few years. In fhort, a careful and impartial fur-
vey of Europe, will confirm the opinion of the
committee of the privy council, that the productions
of grain in that quarter of the world, are not gene-
rally fpeaking, more than equal to the confumption
of its inhabitants. A moment's recolledion will re-
mind us that even thofe countries which do not com-
monly import grain, are, upon the occurrence of
fmall difappointments, obliged to feek it from Ame-
rica, and other foreign ftates ; that fome parts of
Europe conftantly import from us in large quanti-
ties; that all of them fteadily, or occafionally, di-
rectly, or indireQly, fupply their colonies from
hence ; that fince the manufactures of Great-Bri-
tain have been fo far extended, as to employ fix
elevenths of her people, and fince the extenfion of
her manufacture of grain liquors in particular, her
dependence for a portion of her bread upon fo-
reign nations, is proved to be unavoidable, by the
moll fettled maxims of her own political economifts;
that her real deficiency is the irremovable want of
the requifite proportion of agriculturalifts ; and fi-
nally, that even in the prcfent flate of our popula-
tion, the United States aCtually contribute much
more to the fupply of the -nations of Europe and

236

their colonies, with grain, bread, and flour, thaa
any two, perhaps any three countries in the world;
and that their capacity to enlarge that fupply, is
fteadily and rapidly increafing.

This fubje6l has been dwelt upon the longer
from its high importance to the United States, and
to the general happinefs of mankind; and from the
new proofs which lord Sheffield has given of a partis
cular indifpofition, that Britain fhould appear to rely
on the United States, even in the fmalleft de-
gree, though we give a greater fupport to her
manufacturers and fhipping than any two other fo-
reign nations. It is feared, that nothing benefici-
al can be expe6\ed between the two countries, if
the errors and prejudices of fo profefl'ed a champi^
on againft us, have not a very cautious hearing.
It will not be deemed unreafonable or improper,
to confider in that light a writer, v^ho, in his firft
book, labours to fhow, that the produ6lion and com-
merce of grain are bad objeQs of attention to the
American ftates, becaufe (as he alleges] Europe
leldom wants it ; and who, in his fecond book,
takes equal pains to prove, that America cannot
raife grain for the wants even of Great-Britain it-
felf, when he finds it eftablifhed on the higheft Bri-
tifh authority, that their own kingdom and thofe of
other nations in Europe, can only look to America
for the deficiency of fupply, which the increafe of
manufaftures, of people, of grafs and pafturage, of
grain liquors, and the uncertainty of feafons, in one
or another of them, is conftantly producing. He

^37

"will prove a bad politician , and a very bad Britifh
patriot, who Ihall animate againft the manufadures
of Great-Britain, the body of the American planters
and farmer Sy by promoting a fevere fyftem, which
ihall debar them of a chance of making returns for
an immenfe demand of Britifh fabrics, in the un-
manufaftured produ8;ions of their foil and labour.
But independent of the danger to Britain, from lift-
ening at thii time, to fo profeffed an anti-American,
a wife nation will not give too much attention to a
writer, whofe ardent fpirit of monopoly leads him
to attempt to circumvent the fame foreign nation,
in her purfuits of commerce — of manufaftures—
and even of her great, beft bufinefs, the tillage of
a various and productive foil. If the policy of
England ought to be a dereliction of fome parts of
her fyftem of internal or external commerce in fa-
vour of agriculture, let her politicians firmly main-
tain the do6lrine. America will approve their
patriotifm. But in doing this, it furely is not ne-
ceffary to depreciate the largeft purchasers of thofe
manufaClures, on which the exiftence of more than
half their people depends. It may be well to re-
fle6t too that the induftry and foil, which foreign
corn laws may tend to deprive of their accuftomed
objeft, can be applied to the produftion of hemp,
flax, wool, cotton, leather, and irpn, or their pre-
paration in the form of fabrics to fubftitute for
theirs. It is happy for the United States, that when-
ever they are injured in the lofs of a vent for any
portion of a particular production, they can create
f^ market for it by checking the introduction of

238

Ibme conneQed foreign commodity, and making a
{"uccedaneum for it at home. See paper S.

Though it would not be difficult, in purfuing,
the examination of lord Sheffield's obfervations, to
adduce many more proofs, that his faQs are often
erroneous, and his obfervations frequently unjuft;
and that his predictions have not been verified,
but often contradided by experience, the fubje8:
■will not be further purfued. It is confided, that
enough has been faid, to induce an attentive revifion
of his book. This, it is believed, will be fufficient to
lead the Britifh nation to look in future to other
fources of information. It may be obferved, in ex-
tenuation of his lordfliip's errors, that the circum-
fiances of the United States are confiderably alter-
ed fince he wrote: but this will not juftfy the con-
fidence of his prediclionSy nor apologize for the
wild errors of them ; and it may not improperly be
again remarked to thofe, who are convinced
of this great and happy change in our fitua-
tion, fince the year 1784, that a condu6l on
the part of foreigners, which might have been
deemed prudent when our political horizon was
darkly clouded, would be unwile now, and might
be dangerous to fome of their interefts hereafter.
Of this lord Sheffield's late book proves him to be
not duly fenfible.

The United States have many features of natu-
ral ftrength, and many advantages from their local

239

pofition. The friends of other forms of govern-
ment will admit, that they have exhibited a high-
ly improved example of a republic, and that they
have praftifed upon the plan, fince it was form-
ed, though not a very long time, with extraor-
dinary fuccefs. They have no occafion to make
war for territory ; and they are confiderably re-
moved from the danger of foreign enterprifes aginft
them. Their produtlions are remarkably diverli-
fied, and confequently adapted to various purpo-
fes and ufes, and are, with a few exceptions, either
necefl'aries of life, or articles of fuch general de-
mand and confumption, as to be nearly as much
fought. Having been recently a part of an intelli-
gent and enterprifing commercial nation, and hav-
ing a very extenfive fea-coaft, the citizens of iVme-
rica have been infenfibiy led to furvey all the re-
gions of foreign commerce, and in pafTing through
moft of them, have manifefted, fince the refor-
mation of their political fyftem, every talent re-
quifite for the honourable and lucrative purfuit of
trade. The redundant ftate of private wealth in
feveral foreign nations, promifes every addition
to our a6live capital, that occafion can require, if
we prelerve the honejlfpirit with which the reforms
of the general and ftate governments have been
lately made, and the wifdom with which they have
been adminiftered. The fulnefs of the European
population, and the degree in which every walk,
commercial, manufafturing, and agricultural, is
crouded there, afford reafon to exned the fteadv

240

increafe of our people.* Civil and religious liber*
ty, now fettled on rational and tried principles^
certify an exemption from all real oppreffion.

Being difpofed to promote the freedom of
commerce, the United States would probably have
made no regulations, but with a view to revenue,
had they not met in almoft every country, duties
and reftriftions in their home trade, and charges,
prohibitions and exclufions, in their colonial trade.
But although fome nations will not permit us to
fhip them certain of our articles, others withhold
from us certain of theirs, and others impede, abfo-
lutely or in efFeft, the introduction of our own
goods in our own bottoms, yet we have hitherto
contented ourfelves with a fmall addition to the
rates of our tariff, and to the tonnage on fhips,
both together not exceeding £. 87,000, fterling, on
all foreign nations taken together. It will not be
alleged, that this fum will bear a ferious compari-
fon with the injuries our agriculture, manufactures
and commerce fuftain from feveral of the principal
European powers.

To obtain relief by arrangements as beneficial
to foreign ftates as to ourfelves, will probably be
the liberal aim of our government. It is confident-
ly expe^ed, that mutual benefits will create and
cement a ftrong and lafting friendfhip in the cafe

comfortable country in Europe, as to the ftate
cf

* Almofl every comfortable country in Europe^
F its population, is arrived at an abfolute plethora*

241

oF thole nations with which fuch arrangements
fliall be formed; and with regard to others, the
wKdom of the legiflature, no doubt, will be fedu-
loufly exercifed either temperately to meet them
with the requifite policy and firmnefs, or to trans-
fer from their hands, to thofe of more equitable
nations, the unrequited benefits they receive from
us — or to derive from our own (kill, capital, cre-
dit, and induftry, the accomodations and fupplies
which they have heretofore furniflied upon terms
of great advantage to themfelves, but which have
been inadequately reciprocated to the United
States,

SECTION VII.

containing a table of the principal restrictions)
impositions and prohibitions sustained by the
United States, in their trade with the British

DOMINIONS, AND OF THOSE SUSTAINED BY GrEAT-BrI-
TAIN in HER TRADE WITH THE DOMINIONS OF THB

United States: also some remarks on certain
prevalent topics, relative to the general busi-
NESS between the two countries.

THE intention of the foregoing examination
being folely the corredion of error in the ftatement
of faQs, and in the opinions or conclufions deduced
from them, it has appeared on confideration, not
to be improper to purfue the fubjeO: with the fame
views, a little further. An idea, that the balance
of favour or indulgence is received by the United
States, frequently appears in the publications, and

242

is faid to prevail in the minds of perfons of weight
and inflaence in Great-Britain. It may not there-
fore be ufelefs to bring up to view the principal
faBs, relative to the queftion of reciprocity of com-
mercial regulation. An attempt will be made to
throw this flatement into the form of a table, as it
will be the more clear and imprefTive.

GREAT-BRITAIN

THE UNITED STATES

Prohibits American vefTels
from entering into the ports of
feveral parts of her dominions,
viz. the Weft-Indies, Canada,
Nova-Scotia, New-Brunfwick,
Newfoundland, Cape Breton,
Hudfon's Bay, Honduras Bay,
and her Eaft-India fpice market.

She impofes double light mo-
ney on American veffels in moft
of her ports.

She prohibits the navigat-
ing, ad libitum, of American
veffels, by native or other fea-
men.

She prohibits the employment
of American-built ihips by her
own citizens, in many branches
of trade, upon any terms.

She charges a duty on Ame-
rican fail cloth, made up in the
•United States for Briiiih Ihips.

Admit Britifh veffels into alt
their ports, fubjed to a tonnage
duty of 44 cents, or 24 fterling
pence, more than American
veffels, 2nd an addition of one
tenth to the amount of the im-
port accruing on their cargoes.

They do not impofe extra light
money on Britifli veffels in any
of their ports.

They admit the navigating of
Britifh veffels by native or other
feamen, ad libitum.

They admit the employment
of Britifli-built Ihips by their
own citizens, in every branch of
trade upon the terms of 44 cents
extra per ton, and one tenth ex-
tra on the impoft arifing from
their cargoes.

They do not charge a duty
on Britifti fail-cloth, made up
in Great-Britain for American
fliips.

243.

GREAT-BRITAIN.

THE UNITED STATES.

She prohibits the importation
of goods from feveral parts of
her dominions into others, in
American veffels, upon any
terms.

She prohibits the importation
of goods into Great-Britain, by
American veffels from any other
country than the U. S.

She prohibits the importation
into Great-Britain from the
United States, by American vef-
fels, of all goods not produced by
the United States.

She prohibits the importation
of any goods previoully brought
into the United States, from the
faid ftates into Great-Britain,
even in Britifn veffels.

She prohibits the exportation
of feveral articles from Great-
Britain to the United States.

She lays duties of various
rates upon the exportation of
many articles to the United
States.

She prohibits the importation
of all manufadures from the
United States, into her European
dominions, and her colonies, un-
lefs it be fome very fimple pre-
parations, and decodHons, requi-
fite to her navy, fhipping and
manufadures.

She impofes very confiderable
duties upon fome of the agricul-

They admit the importatioa
of goods from any part of their
dominions into another, in Bri-
tilh veffels, on the terms of 44
"cents per ton extra on the veffel.

They admit the importation
of goods into the United States,
in Britifh veffels, from ci^erj
country whatever.

They do not prohibit the im-
portation into the United States
from Great-Britain, by Britifti
veffels, of any goods not produc-
ed by Great-Britain.

They do not prohibit the im-
portation of any goods previ-
oufly brought into Great-Britain*
from that kingdom into the
United States, in cither Britifh
or American bottoms.,

They do not prohibit the ex-
portation of any article from the
United States to Great-Britain,

They do not lay a duty on
the exportation of any article
whatever to Great-Britain,

They do not prohibit the im-
portation of any manuflidure
whatever from Great-Britain.

They impofe moderate duties
(lower than any other foreign

GREAT-BRITAIN.

iural produfllons of the United
States, and excludes others by
duties equal to their value.

She prohibits for confiderable
terms of rime, feme of the prin-
cipal agricultural produd^ions of
the United States, and others at
all times.

It is underftood that by treaty
flie grants fome favours, which
are not extended to the United
States.

She prohibits the importation
of fome American articles, in
American ihips, or any but
Britifh {hips, into her European
dominions.

She does not permit an Ame-
rican citizen to import goods in-
to fome of her dominions, and
to fell them there even in Britifh
veffels. In other parts of her
dominions, fhe lays an extra tax
on him, or his fales.

She impofes .heavy duties on
certain articles of the produce
of the American fi{heries, and
anfupportable duties on others,
in fome parts of her dominions :
and in other parts, fhe prohibits
their importation.

She prohibits the confumption
«)f fome American articles, of

THE UNITED STATES.

nation by 2 3, and 4 for one)
on the produce and manufadures
of Great-Britain, except in a very
itw inftances, and exclude fcarce-
Xy any articles by duties equal to
their value.

They prohibit none of the
agricultural produ6^ions of Great,
Britain or her dominions.

They treat Great-Britain as
favourably as any nation what-
ever, as to Ihips, imports, and
exports, and in all other re-
fpecls.

They do not prohibit the im-
portation of any Britifh article
in Britifh veffels or any but A-
merican veffels.

They permit a Britifh citizen
to import goods into all their
ports, in any veffels, and to fell
them there without any extra
tax on him, or his fales.

They impofe only five per
cent, on the produce of the Bri-
tifh fiflieries (which duty is
drawn back on exportation) and
admit every article derived from
them.

They do not prohibit the con-
fumption of any Britifh article

245

GREAT-BRITAIN. THE UNITED STATES.

which Ihe permits the importa- whatever,
tion.

She prohibits the importation They do not prohibit the im-

of American articles from fo- portation of Britifh articles from

reign countries into the Britifh foreign countries in any fhips.
dominions, even in her -own (hips.

In detailing the regulations of foreign nations,
fo various and complex as thofe of Great-Britain,
it is not eafy to be correft. The above ftatement,
however, is fincerely believed to contain the fub-
ftance of the exifting Britifh reftri6lions, prohibi-
tions and impofitons, upon commerce, fo far as
they have any relation to the poflible or actual in-
tercourfe with the United States. Thofe which
are to be found in the afts of Congrefs, or which
refult from them, are few, and are alfo intended to
be correctly given in the table. On a review of
the whole of thefe regulations, it will be perceiv-
ed, that thofe of the United States are confiderably
more favourable to the fubjeds of the Britifh crown,
and their manufa6lures, produce and navigation,than
thofe of Great-Britain are to the correfponding in-
terefts of the citizens of the United States. It has
appeared neceflary to make a ftatement in detail and
by a comparative contraft, in order that we might
render manifeft the abfolute and important truth,
that the commercial impediments to Great-Britain
in the laws of the United States, are much lefs
confiderable than thofe in the a6ls of the Britifh
parliament are to the United States. Had this

246

ftatement been confined to the ijland of Great- Br u
tain alone, on the one part, and our dominions at
large, on the other, it would have been found,
that our ob{tru6lions to Britifh commerce are far
lels than thofe which Britain throws in the way of
the commerce of the United -States. But it is juft
and natural for us, in confidering a national fub-
je6i:, to take into our eftimation the whole of the
territories of the Britifti crown, and the whole po-
pulation, trade, manufaftures, and productions
thereof, more efpecially as it is plain, that all con-
fiderations, relative to the American fide, are ex-
tended to our whole territory and all its apperte-
nances and relative circumftances. Should Great-
Britain prove, that exceptions rei'pe6ling colonies
are as reafonable on her part, as they are fafhion-
able, ftill it remains to be counterbalanced, that
no luch exceptions are made by us; for we treat
the veirels, produce and citizens of the colonies, as
we treat thofe of Britain. If it is politic and right,
that the parliament of Great-Britain fhould exclude
us from their colonial trade, then Great-Britain
ought not to complain of any countervailing regu-
lations, which may exclude her from fome eqiiiva*
lent advantage in our trade : and fo in regard to
any other country. Should it be proved, that all
rations have interdicted their colonial trade to fo-
reigners, it will be no lefs eafy to ftiow, that the
withholding of any kind of advantage from a fo-
reign nation, by reafon of the particular circum-
ftances of the reftriQing party, has always been
deemed a juftification for fome correfponding refj-

64t

trillion on the part of the country fuffering. Bat
it cannot be proved, that all nations prohibit the
participation in their colonial trade to foreigners.
The French, the Swedes, the Danes, and the
Dutch govern themfelves differently from Britain,
and from one another. The interdifting rule is
not univerfal. It cannot be rendered permanent,
uniform, or precife. It muft, therefore, be liable, like
other commercial objefts, to legijlative difcretion
and treaty, and muft be involved in the general
queftion of reciprocity. Were this not the cafe> the
greateft political abfurdities would be induced.
Let it be fuppofed for a moment, that two Euro-
pean nations poffefs tranfmarine colonies of equal
value, and that one of them grants a perfeft free-
dom of the trade of her colonies to the United
States, while the other abfolutely refufes that ad-
vantage to us. It will not be alleged, that the laft
of thefe nations has claims to a participation in the
commerce of the United States, equal to thofe oF
the former. Further — the diftinftion taken, with
regard to colonies, does not apply to all the tranf-
marine dominions of the Britifti crown. Canada^
Nova-Scotia, New-Brunfwic, Jam.aica, and a part
of the ifland of St. Chriftophers, for example, arc
conquered countries, to whofe commerce, confide-
rations other than colonial, apply. And were the
idea of colonies ftri6tly adhered to, (viz. the efta-
blifhment of bodies of natives, who have emigrated
from a ftate, and fettled in a new country, politi-
cally conneded with the old one,) it would be
found, that feveral of the new ilates of America

24^

are more truly colonies of the older ftatcs, than
feveral of the iflands and provinces, which bear
the appellation, are colonies of Great-Britain.

As it has been an uniform opinion of lord Shef-
field and other perfons in England, that fhip.build-
ing would be annihilated in the United States, the
prefent ftate of that bufinefs, it is hoped, will
deftroy fome material mifcalculations, and will
prove, that we do not labour under an inability to
carry our own produQions without the aid of
any one foreign nation. If we have not yet encoun-
tered the expenfc of a navy, let it be remembered,
that Pruffia, which has many more private veffels
than Ruflia, has a6led the fame part; although the
emprefs, of the latter country with fewer merchant-
fhips, than any maritime power in Europe, and
much fewer than the United States, has neverthe-
lefs a very formidable navy.

Nations, which at prefent enjoy any confi-
derable portion of the American trade, muft fuf-
tain very unfavourable confequences from the con-
tinuance of impediments or burdens on our future
intercourfe with their dominions. Our exports,
being tranfported in our own fiiips and thofe of
any lefs unkind country, will advance the manu-
factures and trade of a nation adjacent and rival to
them — or, fent to the colonies of more favourable
nations, will gready increafe the growth of inter-
fering colonial produ6lions. It is with the utmoft
difficulty that any nation now accompliflies circuit-

249

ous fupplies of other European countries with out
produce ; and it has become our duty to make foreign
nations fenfible of the difadvantages of double freights
and charges^ under which they receive our produc-
lionSy the lofs arifing from which, falls in part, up-
on our farmers, and, in part, upon their citizens,
who are the confumers. Aggravating impediments
to our trade, are now deeply and conftantly wound-
ing the manufafturers in Europe, who work up
American raw materials, or who fupply us with
their fabrics. Duties on our iron, for example,
reduced the price, and thus occahoned it to be
bought at home to manufacture: and fo of other
native raw materials. The refufal of cotton, and
other raw articles, not of our growth, in any bot-
toms, from America, makes them cheaper to our
manufadurers, or to the exporters of them for the
ufe of thofe European manufafturers, whofe laws
will permit them to be received from hence. Im-
pediments in the way of our fliipping, or heavy du-
ties on merchandife from hence, occafion the mer-
chants, as before obferved, in regard to our pro-
duce, to fend foreign raw materials to countries^
that will admit the vefiTels and goods upon more
eafy terms. Nations, in this enlightened age, will
more and more avail themfelves o{ the mij takes that
obtain in the commercial regulations of their
neighbours and rivals : and the errors of reftric-
tions and duties, fo far as they fhall be really im-
|)ol'iiic, will thus induce a certain and conlequent
fuHering by thofe who impofe them on us. So,
a«'one country drives our veflels and produce from

I i

250

her ports, others may be thereby induced to open
their markets to them. The currents of commerce,
like thofe of the rivers, will certainly be turned
from that fide where obftruQions are created.

The United States have been led to ferious and
beneficial reflection on their affairs, by the prevail-
ing difpofition to reflricl their intercourfe with
Europe, and the feverer regulations of feveral na-
tions in regard to the commerce of their tranfma-
rine dominions. They are prompted to decide, that
the immenfe favings and the extenfive advantages
they can derive from manufa6lures, protefted by
their own laws, render them no lefs worthy of a
fliare of their capital and induflry, than commerce.
The importance of this objeft has been forced up-
on the minds of many, by European refl:ri6\ions :
and a continuance of thofe reftriftions, will, though
gradually, yet infallibly, make converts of the
whole nation. So weighty are the confiderations
relative to manufaBures, in the opinions of many,
that it begins to be ferioufly quellioned, whether
the employment of a fhare of 20 or 25,000 tons of
vefTels in the Britifh Weft-India trade, and of lefs
than half that quantity in the trade to their remain-
ing colonies, ought to induce our confent materi-
ally to keep down or diminiOi any falutary duties
on foreign manufaQures. The American impoft
is now very moderate, compared with that of other
nations; unqueftionably the mott fo of any which
Britifh goods encounter in foreign countries. It
does not exceed, on a medium, 8 or 9 per cent.

251

Were it to be increafed to 14, 20, 25, 28, and
even 333^ per cent, as in France, Spain and Portu-
gal— were prohibitions to be added on fome arti-
cles, as in thofe countries, and on all articles, as in
one or two others, (with a judicious poftponement
of the time, for the ftrongeft regulations to take
place) what would be the confequences, what the
efFefts upon the tranfplanting of foreign capital and
manufactures to the United States ? It may be urg-
ed, that we fhould be injured by fuch prohibition,
or even by the higher rates of duty above mention-
ed. So far as we did not get manufactures eftab-
lifhed, in the mean time, that might be the cafe;
but the fame might be obferved, in regard to the
commercial regulations of Great-Britain, fome of
which really injure her; and many of which deep-
ly injure Ireland, the Weft-Indies, and the remain-
ing colonies.

If it is in the power of Great-Britain to draw
from other countries, the articles (he obtains from
us of better quality, and upon lower terms, which
is often afferted to be pofTible, it is not to be for-
gotten, that by ceafing to receive any goods from
the United States, the benefit of employing her fhips
will be lo far loft. The articles rejeded may be
fomewhat more difficult for us to fell, and therefore
will be neceflarily converted, in a greater degree
than at prefent, into manufactures, or they may go
to fupply other nations, who now purchafe thofe
foreign articles, which it is alledged Britain can pro-
cure with more advantage. Among the objections

25^

Great-Britain ought to have to this, the fo-
reign connexions we fliail be thereby led to form,
and the cement it will give to old ones, will not be
found the lead. But the allertion really is not
true. The furs and {kins, the oak timber, oak
boards, oak planks, flaves, potafli, pcarlafh, ginfeng
the fame qualities of rice, iome qualities of tobacco
the grain, in cafe of fhort European crops, and
^ome of the naval ftores cannot be obtained in
quantity and quality from other countries.

We are not infrequently reminded, when the lofs
of the American market and our confumption of Bri-
tifh manufa8.uresarefpokenof, that, notwithitanding
our former non-importation agreements, and the
interruptions of the war, the Briiifh manufaQories
"were more flourifliing, than during the previous
peace, when our demand was the greateft. There
appear to be fome reafons, however, for doubting
the truth of this aflertion. The tables in Ander-
fon's commerce, already mentioned, ftate the ex-
ports of the year 1774 at j£^. 17,607,447, and thofe
of 1781, at £'. 11,470,388. This declenfion was
regular, almoft every year's exports being lefs than
thofe of the preceding. Thefe fads are the more
remarkable, as the imports of Great-Britain in
1781, were greater than thofe in 1776, or in any-
intermediate year, and the prices of raw articles
and provifions exported, were higher. It is to be
obferved, alfo, that large exports for the Britifli
merchants and dealers, who fold extra fupplies to
their armies and navies in America, the Weft and

^53

Eafl-Indies, Gibraltar, &c. were made, for the ufis
of the great number of officers, foldiers, and fea-
men, employed in thole places. The extra public
purchafes of clothing, tents, arms, cordage, fail
cloth, porter, and other manu/aBiired articles, for
their fea and land forces, muft have been immenfe,
when we refled, that about .^.14,000,000 per an-
num, on an average of the term of the war, was
added to their debt, befides the great fums of mo*
ney colleded and paid within the year; and that
the fupplies granted for 1781, exceed thofe of 1774
by £, 19,300,000, a larger fum by 100 per cent,
than Great-Britain ufually exported in manufac-
tures prior to the late treaty of peace. The ex-
penditures of fuch a war, muft, indeed, occafion
the woolen, linen, leathern and metal branches^
and feveral others, to flourifh exceedingly : but
the confequences in regard to the increafe of
burdens on the people, and to the national prof-
perity, muft be viewed in the moft ferious light.
In the time of the war, too, foreign manufa6lure$
could be lefs eafily introduced into their own
markets, which left the demand for confump-
tion and importation to be fupplied by their own
people. It is to be obferved further, that the eight
years which followed 1774, were thofe in which
machinery was firft rendered confiderably profita-
ble in Great-Britain. Before the American war,
the cotton branch was very inconfiderable in that
country ; but though it has increafed wonderfully
{ince the peace, it muft have felt a very large ad-
vancement during the term in which our regular

254

importations from thence were cut ofF. Other
branches were aided during thofe years, by the in-
troduction of machinery, manual flight and new
procefTes, fo as to diminiOi the elfefts of the inter-
ruption of the American demand. It is in the
higheft degree probable, that the lofs of our con-
fumption would be fcnfibly felt at this time. In a
feafon of peace, the enormous extra demand for
the ufe of their armies and navy does not exift.
Ireland now menaces Great-Britain with the diminu-
tion of her importations. Such extraordinary new
inventions of mechanical and chemical aid are not
to be expected again — and the United States might
derive a very confiderable degree of independent
cy on Britifh manufaQures, by the adoption of la-
bour-faving machines, (the peculiar value of which,
to them, they are beginning to perceive) in the
cotton, flaxen, hempen, metal, and part of the
woolen and filken branches, to all of which raw
materials they apply. The capacities of the United
States for eftablifhing thefe mills, and manufa6lures
in general will be exemplified in the cafe of New-
Jerfey, which by a return in 1784, is afcertained to
have had then 41 fulling-mills, 8 furnaces, 79 forges,
366 faw-mills, 508 grift-mills, and 192 tan-yards,
though her population appears to be about one
part in twenty-one of that of the United States.
Were the United Netherlands to feize a moment
of uneafinefs between us and Great-Britain, and
were they to devote their (hipping and immenfe
private capital to the lupply and promotion of
machine manufaQures, they would prove danger-

255

ous rivals to England in all foreign markets: and
the fame may be faid in regard to the efforts of
other countries, if they were ferioufly to undertake
manufactures by labour-faving machinery.

It may be fairly afked, what country fupports
the navy of Great-Britain, in fo great a degree as
the United States, by the employment they give
to her fhips? The Ruffian trade furnifhes cargoes
for much lefs than 230,000 tons, which is the exa6l
quantity of Britifh veflels that cleared from thefe
ftates, in the year following Augufl 1789. The whole
Baltic trade of Great-Britain, with all the countries
of the various powers that lie within the found, im-
portant as it is to her, does not fill more. Their
trade with Holland, France, Spain, and Portugal,
does not all together employ as many veffels.
Their whole fifheries, American colonial trade,
and Wefl-India trade, do not employ and load
more.* And how, it may be further afked, are the
United States requited for thus ftrengthening the
acknowledged bulwark of Great-Britain, by annu-
ally giving a complete lading to the unequalled
quantity of 230,000 tons of her private veflels ?
The whole of the American veffels, which have
arrived in our ports, in the fame year, from all

* Tt appears from a Britifh ftatement of their trade with all the
world, and authentic documents publifhed by Congrefs, that their
veffels, cleared out from the United States in 1791 and 1792, were
about equal in tonnage to all the Britifh veffels cleared out of Great-
Britain for Ruffia, Denmark and Norway, Sweden, PrufTia, Po-
land, Hamburg, Bremen, and Germany in general. A. D. 1793.

256

the countries and places fubjefl to the Britifh
crown, amount to no more than 43,580 tons.
Vet there are not wanting perfons, who will affirm,
that the balance of /^lyowr is given to the United
States: and, that Great-Britain is fo far injured by
our deportment, as to juftify a retaliation upon us!

There are feme confiderations drawn from the
flate of things in Europe, which ought to render
the Britifh commerce with the United States and
the confumption of Britifh manufattures by the ci-
tizens of this country, matters of greater than for-
mer importance. The infufion of republican qua-
lities into the governments of that quarter of the
world, will be followed by the extenfion of trade,
internal and external. The characler of the mer-
chant and manufa6lurer will be duly efleemed, and
large portions of dormant capital, and numerous
clafTes of inaQive men, will be turned by circum-
ftances to employments, which will have lofl their
ancient imaginary difrepute. The tendency of
fuch events, in regard to the fupply of raw materi-
als, and in regard to manufactures which America
now draws from Great-Britain, will not bedifikuU
to difcover.

A reliance is fometimes placed upon the difpofi-
tion of the fouthern parts of the United States of
America, in favour of fuch regulations of com-
merce, as would be agreeable to Great-Britain —
that is, the eafy and unincumbered admifTion of
her {hips and manufactures into our ports. Wliat^*

257

ever truth there may be in regard to fome of thofe
flates, it is known they are far from unanimous,
on that fubjeft. It may be queftioned, too, whe-
ther meafures, which would create difputes, and
interrupt the Britifh trade with America, would
not be difagreeable and inconvenient to the mer-
chants and manufaQurers of Great-Britain, as was
manifeftly the cafe on the occafion of the late dif-
ference with Ruffia. Ports circumftanced as Li-
verpool and Lancafter, which have large concerns
in {hips and comparatively little other trade but as
carriers and fhipholders, may be difpofed to pro-
mote any meafures, that will advance navigation,
at the expenfe of general commerce, manufaftures,
and agriculture ; but the great capitalifts and mer-
chants of London, Briftol, and Glafgow, &c. and
the manufacturers of Manchefter, Sheffield, Bir-
mingham, Norwich, Yorkfhire, Sec, will view
with due ferioufnefs, the probability of diverting
our trade into other channels, and the deliberate
and decided meafures to promote American manu-
faftures, which the reftraints upon our navigation
and commerce may hereafter produce. The ob-
jections of thofe parts of the fouthern dates, which
may be averfe to further impofitions on foreign
merchandife, will be moderated by their convic-
tions, that American manufacturers may be brought
to confume and work up their productions at home,
and to furnifh them in return by not very flow de-
grees, with the fupplies they now derive from
abroad.

258

At the time when this examination was com-
menced, it was believed, from many fymptoms,
that the true ftate of things in this country was lit-
tle known or underltood in Great-Britain. The
prejudices naturally arifmg from fo warm a conteft
as that of 1 775, the diforders which grew out of a lax
and ill digefted government, and the errors inci-
dental to an inexperienced country, fuddenly ele-
vated from a colony to an empire — all contril3uted
to deceive and miflead Great Britain, in her efti-
mation of the United States. The volume of lord
Sheffield was fuppofed to increafe the public mif-
conceptions. His work upon the Irifh commerce
in 1785, reprefented the American ftates in the
fame unfavourable manner in feveral paffages.
Symptoms of error in the opinions of other perfons
of refpe6lable (landing in the Britifii community,
were, unfortunately, obfervable. It appeared,
therefore, to be a matter of great importance to
both nations, that an attempt fhould be made to
point out pafl and to correQ: exifting m'lftakes.
While it has been delired in doing this, to excite
no painful fenfations in the minds of thole who are
connefted with the interefts of Great-Britain, it
has not been deemed neceffary or fit to fupprefs
any truths, becaufethey might prove unacceptable
to perfons, if any fuch there be, who may want
magnanimity enough to receive them with modera-
tion, and to examine them with candour. The
faBs adduced on this occafion, are certainly not
the more true, becaufe they have been afferted in

259

this publication, nor will it be denied, that com^
ing from an American prefs they ftiould be ex-
amined, on the other fide carefully and tho-
roughly. Such an examination fhould be defired
by the United States, for it was fincerely treated in
the beginning as genuine policy in nations, to
avoid fnort lived deceptions, and rather to fearch
diligently for the ground of common interell,
which can never be afcertained by mifreprefenta-
tion, or by erroneous or difingenuous inveftigation.
If arrangements beneficial to the two countries
can be effeQed it mud be through means very
different from thofe. The minds of well intcnti-
oned and able men on both fides fhould be difpa-
tionately applied to the neceflary enquiries and
difcuffions; the fubjeQ fhould be thoroughly exa-
mined and underftood ; and frank admifTions of
the advantages derived by either nation from the
other, ought to be made. With the lights, which
might be thus obtained, it would not be difficult
to determine whether the nature of things in the
United States and Great-Britain, requires or ad-
mits of a treaty of friendfhip or commerce.

SECTION VIII.

A SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE,

CONCERNING THE PROGRESS AND PRESENT STATE OF AmERICAN
DOMESTIC, OR HOUSEHOLD MANUFACTURES.

I N the paffage of the obfervations, which forms
the head of Sectiom III. to which this note be-

f6o

longs, the writer predi6ls, that we (hall give a pre-
ference to Britifh manufadures ; that we fhall not
manufacture for ourfelves ; and that our demand
for Britifh goods will increafe, in proportion to
our population. The fa6ts, in oppofition to thefe
ideas, which relate to the fupplies drawn from fo-
reign nations, have already been ftated; as have
moft of thofe which regard American manufaQures,
fabricated by thofe who purfue them as a feparatt
occupation or calling. But lord Sheffield does not
appear to have forefeen the preient ftate of owxfa'
mily or houfehold manufactures.

The progrefs and prefent ftate of this invaluable
branch of the national induftry, exceeds every
idea, it is believed, that has been formed of it,
either in this country or in Europe. In all the
ftates inhabited almoll entirely by white people,
domeftic manufaBures are known to be very confi-
derable, yielding a confiderable furplus for the ufe
of the other parts of the union. Bat it is general-
ly fuppofed, that in the ftates where the black peo-
ple are numerous, (and efpecially near their fea-
coafts, where imported goods can be conftantly
and eafily obtained) little or no manufactures are
made. The following abftraCl from a minute
ftatement of the houfehold manufactures, in one
neighbourhood, of twenty families (rich and poor)
indifcriminately taken, and in a part of Virgi-
nia, on a navigable river emptying into the Atlan-
tic ocean, where the whites are, to the blacks, as

26l

one two, will fhow, that much more is probably-
made, than is generally believed to be the cafe.

Male and female houfe -keepers, - - ao

Total number of white and black perfons, - - 301

Fine table linnen, (heeling, ibirting, &c. yards, - l^907

Negro clothing, blanketing Sec. yards, - - 1,007

Value of fine cloth &c. per. yard, -> - cclts 60

Value of coarfe do. per do. - - 42

Pairs of fine (lockings, - - 152

Pairs of coarfe do. - - - loS
Highcft value made in one family, - * dolls. 267

Lovveftdo. _ - - - 2i|

Total value of the inanufa<Sures of the zo families - 11670

Families v/hich did ivot manufadure - - - i

Term - - - - the year 1790.

The following table obtained in the like indif-
criminate and impartial way, has alio been exhibi-
ted from another county of the fame Itate, the fi-
tuation of which is interior.

(2)

Families, rich and

poor.

Yards of linen

- 1,095

Yards of woolen.

$44

Yards of cotton

- j,68x

Pairs of ftockings

174

Pairs of ftioes made

on the eftates

2i7

Total value

dolls. 1,791

Term

the year 179a

A perfon of reputation, who furnifhed the latter
ftatement, accompanied it with an affurance, that

202

it might be confidered as a fair average of they"^-
mily manufaftures throughout the adjacent coun-
ties.

Thefe papers have been obtained under circum-
ftances that juftify a reliance on their truth, and
are believed to be very little variant from the me-
dium of the ftate of Viginia. Though they cannot
be made the bafis of a fatisfaQory eftimate, the fol-
lowing brief one is hazarded merely to (how the
refult. In Virginia (exclufive of Kentucky) 70,825
families appear on the late cenfus. The lowed of
the above returns (1,670-! dollars) is at the rate of
gg-i- dollars to each family for home-made hofiery
and c/oi^Ai of wool, flax, hemp and cotton only.
Two-thirds of this rate upon the whole number of
families (cutting off a third, to make a moderate
calculation, and omitting odd numbers) gives the
prodigious fum of 3,900,000 dollars for thofe arti-
cles of mere domejHc manufaQure (exclufively of
the work of regular tanners, fhoemakers, black-
fmiths, weavers and other tradefmen) in Virginia,
and taking the United States at 3,900,000 perfons,
would appear to juftify a computation of above
20,000,000 dollars for the whole.

Through fimilar means, but on the examination
oPothei' perfons, in the counties of Accomack and
Northampton lying on the bay of Chefapeak and
the Atlantic ocean, it appears, that 315,000 yards
of flaxen cloth are made in a diftrid containing
2,729 families: alfo 45,000 yards of woolen, 30,000

263

yards of cotton, and 45,000 yards of linen and
woolen cloth, and a quantity of coarfe (lockings
nearly equal to the demand. It is added, that all
the fhoes, and three-fourths of the clothing of that
country, are made by the tradefmen, or within the
families, who refide in it. The raw materials, in-
cluding the cotton, are the growth of their farms.

Another communication through the fame chan-
nel ftates the manufactures of iron to exceed all
others in Virginia (which mud be erroneous, if
houfehold manufa6lures, as well as trades be taken
into the calculation) and that the greater part of the
farmers and planters tan the hides of the cattle they
confume.

Two other communications from the fame Hate
inform, that the families in certain vicinities men-
tioned in them, make on a medium near 200 yards
each of cotton, woolen, and linen goods — and that
five-fixths of the fhoes, cloth, and ftockings, which
are ufed in that country, are made in the houfe-
hold way. Thefe two laft ftatements contemplate
four counties.

Similar information from the interior parts of
South-Carolina (though lefs ftrong and extenfive)
has alfo been obtained, accompanied with a variety
of fpecimens of fubftantial midling and coarfe cot-
ton, woolen, and linen goods, of which it is ftated,
that the inhabitants of that country manufaClure,
entirely in the family way, as much as they have

264

occafion for, " cotton, flax, and hemp, being plen-
tiful, and there being a confiderable ftock of good
flieep i" " that there is a great deal done in the
hourehold way," and "that the greateft exertions are
made;'' " that they have been long in the habit of
doing fomething in family manufa6lures, but have
improved much in the laft two years; and that the
"weaving is done by the females," which leaves the
induftry of the males to be applied to agriculture.

It is well eftablifhed, that flmllar habits prevail
in the interior country of Georgia ; and in the mid*
land and weftern counties of North- Carolina, they
are as attentive to domellic manufa6lures as the
people of Virginia.

Such is the ftate of domeftic or houfehold manu-
faBures in the fouthern dates, where abundance of
very fertile and cheap lands, and a large portion
of black population, are fuppofed, in Europe, and
even in our own country, to have prevented any
confiderable attention to that frugal and induftri-
ous purfuit.

Let us now turn to the northern fcenes, where a
more replete population, and a lefs produQive foil
have led to the profecution of many branches of
manufaftures as regular trades.

The refultof a careful enquiry, in every county
of the ftate of Connefticut, has been uniform in-
formation from twenty-four vicinities, \\\dii domeJliG
manufactures are carried to a very great extent.

The ankles, made in the family way, and by per-
fons engaged ordinarily in the cultivation of the
earth, are woolen and linen cloths including
ing fail-cloth ; bed-ticks, fome cotton goods, ho-
fiery, nails, and fpikes, fome filk buttons, hand-
kerchiefs, ribands and (luffs, fewing filk, threads,
fringe, and pot and pearl afhes. It is obferved,
that there is farcely a family in the ftate of Con-
nefticut, fo rich or fo poor, as not affiduoufly to
attend to domeltic manufactures ; that they are ex-
tending and improving very faft in quantity, variety,
and quality ; — and that confidcrable parcels of
houfehold linens, &c. are tranfported out by land
and exported by water to the middle and fouthern
ftates. Here then is a furplus of houfehold manu-
factures fold out of the jlate. It as an acknow-
ledged faCl, that New-England linens have affeCl-
ed the price and importation of that article from
New-York to Georgia. The foregoing fiatement
is not intended to comprehend the manufaQories
of woolen cloths, hats, cotton goods, fail-cloth,
checked and plain linens, fhoes and boots, bell
metal, buttons, wool and cotton cards, flaxfeed
oil, foap, candles, nails, anchors, axes, fpades, (ho-
vels, cabinet work, carriages, faddles, books, idc.
t?c. condufcled as regular and feparate trades by
individuals, companies, and affociatiojis, which arc
very confiderable.

An enquiry has alfo been made, by a perfon of
judgment, in the ftate of MafTachufetts, who al-
leges, that the importations of foreign 7naniifaBur£S

266

into that ftatc, are Icfs by one half, at this time,
than they were twenty years ago, though there has
been a prodigious increafe of population, and
though confiderable quantities of home made arti-
cles, are tranfported by land and water, to other
parts. This is afcribed, in a very great degree, to
the domeftic manufaftures, which are obferva-
ble in the drefles and furniture of the people, and
in the outward cargoes of the coafling and other
trading velTels. The informant here contemplated,
produced documents to fhow the magnitude of
fome of the regular trades, among which were
io,coo dozen pair of cotton and wool cards, much
the greater part of which are applied to domeftic
manufaaures throughout the United States, 2,400
pieces of fail-cloth per annum, at a fingle faftory,
100 tons of nails per annum, at the Taunton facto-
ry alone, and 150,000 pair of ftufF and filk fhoes
in the fingle town of Lynn, of which 10,355 P^^^
had been fhipped by one family to the Philadel-
phia market in a fingle year, although the manu-
fafturers of that city, in the fame line, are very
expert and numerous.

Another informant has furnifhed a return, from
which it appears, that in the laft year thread and
filk laces, and edgings, black and white, amount-
ing to 41,979 yards, were manufa6lured in the fa-
mily way, and not in regular fa6tories, in the town
of Ipfwich in Maffachufetts, which contains, by
the late cenfus, 4,562 men, women, and children.
Pattern cards, containing thirty-fix fpecimens of

267

thefe hitherto unnoticed manufadures, have been
exhibited. This townfhip comprehending a fmall
lea-port, and confequently being open to foreign
goods, and the freight of fo compa6l an article as
lace, being very fmall, it will be conhdered as a
curious fad, that this manufadure fhould have
grown up there to fo great a height. It is added in
the information, that laces are made in various
parts of MafTachufetts, though no where in fo great
a degree. It is alio underftood to be a domeftic
manufadure in feveral parts of Conne6ticut.

The exiftence and continual increafe of domef-
tic manufaQures in Rhode-Ifland and New-Hamp-
fliire, are eftablifhed on fimilar authority : — and
the growth of regular trades is very great in the
former, in proportion to its population. It is fup-
pofed to have fucceeded as well as any fcene, in
its attempts in the cotton branch, by labour-faving
machines. The following parcels of goods were
manufactured, in xho, family way, in the firfl nine
months of 1791, in the town of Providence, though
it is a fea-port, and has a number of regular fhops
and fadories, for making feveral of the fame fpe-
cies of goods.

Linen cloth, - - 25,265 yards

Cotton do. - - 5,858 do.

Woolen do. - - 3,165 do.

Carpeting, - - - 512 do.

Stockings, - - - 4,093 pairs.

Gloves and mitts, - - 859 do.

Fringe, - - - 260 yards

268

Three millions of nails (by tale) and 30,000 yards
of woolen cloth were made, in 1790, in the town
and vicinity of Providence. The induftry of far-
mers and houfe-wives contributed materially to the
manufadure of thefe articles.

The extent of the woolen branch of domeftic
manufa61ures, in New-Hamp(hire, is evinced by
the great number of its fullinf^ mills ; for they have
no confiderable faClory employed on that raw ma-
terial. The fame may be obferved in regard to
the general knowledge of the art of weaving,
among the wives and daughters of the farmers in
that fiate. This fa6i: is very frequently obfervable
throughout New-England, and fome other parts of
the United States. The number of fulling mills in
New-Jerfey, which has already been ftated to be
forty-one,is aproof of their dom.eilic manufa6lures ;
as they have not any woolen faftories. In the vici-
nity of the town of Reading, in Pennfylvania, are
ten fulling mills, which induces the fame conclufi-
on there; and they are very numerous throughout
the Rate. The export of flaxfeed is equal to that
of former times; the manufacture of oil confumes
a far greater quantity than heretofore: wherefore
a large growth of flax is to be inferred ; and as
-we have very few linen faftories, and the exporta-
tion of flax has ceafed, a great domeftic manufac-
ture of linens muft exift. The fale of fpinning-
wheel irons, in one Jhop in the city of Philadelphia,
in the courfe of the laft year, has amounted to
1,500 fcts, which, though a Imall fad, is ftrongly

269

indicative of the extent of domeftic manufaQures^
as fpinning wheels are rarely, if ever, exported,
or ufed in regular factories. The quantity fold is
29 per cent, greater than in any former year. Nail-
making is frequently a houfehold bufinefs in New.
England, a fmall anvil being found no inconveni-
ence in the corner of a farmer's chimney. Bad
weather, hours of difengagement from the occupa-
tions of the farm, and evenings, are thus rendered
feafons of fteady and profitable induftry. Public
eftimates of the grain and fruit diftilleries of the
United States, have been made at 3,500,000 gal-
lons ; much the greater part of which is made by
farmers and planters. The importation of chcefe
from all countries into the United States, was only
forty tons, in the year ending in Auguft 1790: and
we exported a much larger quantity in the fam'e
term, from which a great manufacture of that ar-
ticle (in the domeftic way, of courfe) is to be in-
ferred. In fliort, domeftic manufaQures are great,
various, and almoft univerfal in this country.

The implements hitherto ufed in houfehold ma-
nufaBures, have been of the moft ancient kinds.
The art of dying has been advanced in families
little further than what was communicated by a
receipt as brief as thofe in a book of culinary in-
ftruftions ; the colouring ingredients have generally
been fuch as nature handed to the thrifty houfe-
wife. The operations, from the raw to the manu-
fa6lured ftate, have often been the fimpleft that can
be conceived. Under circumftances like thefe, it

270

will not be too fangaine to expeft that the diffemi-
nation of ufeful inilrudion in the pra£lice of dy-
ing, in the nature of colours, and concerning
other parts of the bufinefs, the introdu6lion of the
new improvements in the preparing and fpinning
machinery, on a fcale as convenient as the common
weaving apparatus, and the general ufe of the fly-
ing fhuttle, and the double loom, may give a two--
fold value to this mod precious branch of the
national induftry. It will not be deemed one of
the lead favourable circumftances in the affairs of
a country fo eminently capacitated for agriculture
as the United States, that the profperous courfe of
that great employment of their citizens, is accom-
panied with an alFiduous profecution of this econo-
mical domeftic occupation, by perfons of all ages
and fexes, in hours and feafons, which cannot be
employed in agricultural labour or in their ordina-
ry family duties.

SECTION IX.

AN ADDITIONAL NOTE.

CONCERNING AMERICAN MANUFACTURES IN GENERAL.

THE following reprefentations of the manufac-
tures at prefent exifting in the United States, will
tend to exhibit the ground of reliance which they
afford at this time ; and prefents the mofl encourag-
ing affurances of their Heady progrefs to permanent
elUbliihment.

271

Tanned and tawed leather ^ drejfed JkinSy with and
without the hair or fury and manufactures thereof
form one of the beft eftabliflied and moft import-
ant branches. The confumption and exportation
of the following articles made wholly, or in part
of leather or fldns are great, and, in feveral inltan-
ccs, general, and the importation of them, except-
ing the articles of gloves and fur trimmings, is very
inconfiderable. Rigging hides, parchment, ilioes,
boots, and flippers, common harnefs of all kinds,
harnefs and leathern materials for pleafarable car-
riages, faddles and bridles, houfings, holders, fad-
dlebags^ portmantuas, boot flraps, leathern and hair
trunks, fire-buckets, military articles, fuch as flings,
belts, cartouch boxes and fcabbards ; leathern
breeches and fome veils and drawers ; mens', youths',
and fome womcns' gloves, fur muffs and tippets, li-
nings and trimmings of fur for womens' and mens'
apparel, fome chair bottoms, the coatings of wool
and cotton cards, and the leathern materials of other
manufa6turing implements and utenfils ; to which
may be added glue, being an economical manufac-
ture from the otherwife ufelefs parts of raw and
drefled fkins and from old leathern articles.

II.

ManufaBuresfrom hemp and flax form another
very important and well eftablifhed branch. Thefe

4
272

are made as well in regular faBories and workfhops,
as in the houfehold way. Cables, cordage, tarred
and untarred ; feins and nets of various kinds,
twine and pack-thread, fail cloth, tow cloth, white
and checked ihirtings, flieetings, toweling, table li-
nen, bed ticks, hofiery, fewing thread, and fome
thread lace, are the articles manufa6lured of thefe
raw materials. Nearly the whole of the hemp and
flax are now of native growth ; and as they are
produ6lions of every ftate, the fabrics made of
them are peculiarly interefting. This circumftance
gives breadth and folidity to the foundation of the
linen branch, and to all others to which it is
common.

Ill,

ManufaEli(,res ofironSorm a very increafing and
ufeful branch. Under this head, the article of
nails deferves particular notice, being brought to
the footing of a domeftic manufafture in feveral of
the ftates. The other fabrics, made of this raw ma-
terial, are fteel, fheet iron, nail rods, wheel tire,
hoops, weights, ftoves, pots and other caftings, fcale
beams, plough irons, hoes, and other farming uten-
fils, the iron and fteel work for pleafurable and
working carriages, and for fhip-buildivig, anchors,
houfehold utenfils of various kinds, fcrew prelTes,
fome faws and planes, axes and other utcnhls for
artizans and manufaBurers, and arms of vari-
ous kinds. It is reafonable to conclude that
the manufa^lurc of military articles has become

275

inconfiderable during the exifting peace. The
abundance of mill feats, ore and fuel in the
United States, a moll extenfive demand, and
the heavy charges of importation, are among the
circumftances which have given a refpedable eftab-
lifhment to the iron roanufa6tories.*

IV.

ManiifaBures of wool and mixtures thereof with
cotton and faxy form another branch of peculiar
importance, from their being principally the pro-
ductions of domeftic indultry, at times and feafons
which can be fpared from other occupations. Thefe
are broad and narrow cloths, chiefly common or
coarfe ; coatings, cafimers, ferges, flannels, hofiery,
fome blankets, linfey woolfey, and negro cloth in
very large quantities, coverlets and counterpanes^
mens' and boys' hats, a few carpets, fringe, cord and
taffels. This raw material will eventually prove
univerfal in the United States, and i^ already found
in every ftate.

The four preceding branches may be thrown in-
to the firfl: clafs, in regard to prefent importance,
and are eftabliflied in a confiderabk degree. They
are increafing rapidly, and particularly the three

M m

* The Indian war and the renewal of our militia fyftem has
greatly revived the manufadure of arms. A, D, 1793.

274

firft, from the facility of procuring very large
quantities of the requifite raw materials, the in-
trodu6lioa; of various new implements and ma-
chinery, the abundance of fuel, lime, bark, and
other articles employed in their manufa8;ure.
The latter is (leadily progreffive in quantity, and
has improved rapidly within the lad two years.

Momifaclures of cotton^ and mixtures thereof with
Jlax and hempy as as alfo with wooly conflitute a grow-
ing and very promifing branch. In feveral of the
(iates, faQories of this raw material have been com-
tnenced. Very confiderable quantities of goods
are made of it, in the houfehold way, and particu-
larly in the fouthern ftates of all of which it is a
produ6lion. The articles ufuallymade are cordu-
roys, velverets,jeans, fuftians and plain and flrip-
ed cloths, for womens' ufe, hofiery, thread, fringe,
cord and taffel's, counterpanes and coverlets, can-
dlewick, and, when mixed with wool, very large
quantities of negro cloth. ConneQed with this
branch is the bufinefs of callico printing, in which
fome promifing attempts have been made.

VI.

Ships and boats, with their numerous and requifite
appertenances, conilitute a branch much lefs valu-
able in money than the preceding; but confider-
ing how neceflary they are to agriculture and ma-

^15

nufaftures, as well as to commerce and the fifhe-
ries, they appear to be of primary importance.
Thefe are conftrufted upon the moft favourable
terms, and with great perfeftion.

VII.

Papers of all kinds, form a very beneficial branch,
of confiderable and increafing extent. The fpe-
cies made are paper hangings, playing cards, pafte-
boards, fullers or prefs papers, iheathing and wrap-
ping paper, writing and printing paper of various
kinds and qualities, except the largefland molt coft-
ly. Appertenant to this branch is the very increaf-
ing and highly ufeful bufinefs o^ book printing. From
the abundance of mill-feats, and the refpe6lable
ellablifliment of the paper manufaQory in fome of
the ftates, it is manifeit, that a much more confider-
able faving or gain might be derived to the coun-
try, with the requifite attention to the prefervation
of the old and otherwife ufelefs materials.

VIII.

Sugars refined in various degrees, form a branch
fo perfeftly eftablifhed as to require little atten-
tion, but to the acquifition of the raw material.

IX,

Cabinet wares and turnery, both of the fimplefl
and moft elegant kinds, are made in quantities com-

276

menfurate with the demand, as well of native as
foreign materials. Connected with thefe in fome
degree, is the manufafture of many kinds of mu-
fical inftruments, which has gained a footing within
a few years, that promifes an eftablifhment ade-
quate to the occafions of the United States. Other
manufadures of wood are made in great quantities,
fuch as coopers' wares, corn fans, and other imple-
ments of hufbandry, almoft; every fpecies of mill
work, and lately the mofl: valuable and curious
manufafturing machinery in various branches.

Wares of the precious metals^ (gol<i 2ind filver)
including fet work, and jewellery, are made in
great variety and extent. The lateft addition to
this branch is the manufaQuring of plated ware,
which, however, is not vet confiderable or e(la-
blifhed.

ManufaElures of the mixed metals and of lead and
coppery have obtained various degrees of eftablifh-
ment. Thofe of brafs are the moft extenfive, and,
combined with iron and wood, there is a confider-
able variety. Houfehold utenfils, technical and
philofophical inftruments and apparatus, furniture
and materials for houfes and carriages, and for the
building and furnifhing of fliips, a few barrels and

277

fome furniture of fire arms, are manufaBured of
brafs. Pewter and hard metal are very much confin-
ed to family utenfils, diftillers worms,printing types^
-and buttons. The laft article is made with great
neatnefs and variety in a few fhops. Lead is
worked into ball, fheets, and every form requifite
for the building and finifhing of houfes and veffels,
and for the linings and coverings of wood, which
is expofed to water. Succefsful attempts to manu-
fa6lure leaden fhot of various fizes, have been
made.

Copper wares of various kinds, are made in the
United States. Thefe are utenfils for diftillers,
fugar refiners, brewers, and other manufaQurers,
and for domeftic and fhip ufe, articles to be ap-
plied in the building of veffels, and in fhort, all
thofe things which are requifite to ufeful and ordi-
nary purpofes.

Tin wares, for military and all other ufeful pur-
pofes, are well manufactured.

XIL

MamifaHures from fridU^ grain and feeds, are
very confiderable. Of the firft, diftilled fpirits
are the whole. Of fuch liquors from apples, the
quantity is large; of thofe from peaches, it is
much lefs, but the quality, when the liquor is
matured, is exquifite : both are increafing. Of
the manufaElurcs from grain and feeds (exclufive

of meal of all kinds and bifcuit) there is a <3;reater
value. Thefe are diftillcd fpirits, malt liquors,
llarch, hair powder, wafers and oil. Thefe articles
could be made in quantities commenfurate with
the demand ; and the feveral branches are well
underilood.

XIII.

The mamifaElure of gunpowder^ has advanced
with the greatell rapidity to the point of defire in
regard both to quantity and quality. The hazards
and expcnfes of importation, the cheapnefs of
charcoal, of the requifite packages, and of mill
feats and mill works, in the United States, are
among the principal caufes, which have produced
lb accelerated a progrefs.

XIV.

ManufaElures of glafs, of earthen ware, and of
fone, mixed with clay, are all in an infant flate.
From the quantity and variety ofthe materials which
mull have been dcpofited by nature in fo extenfive
a region as the United States, from the abundance
of fuel which they contain, from the expcnfe of
importation, and lofs by fraBure, which falls on
on glafs and earthen wares, from the fimpli-
city of many of thefe manufactures, and from the
great confumption of them, impreffions of furprifc
at this liate of them, and a firm perfuafion that they
will receive the early attention of foreign or Ame-
rican capitalifts, are at once produced. Coarfe

«79

tiles, and bricks of an excellent quality, potters*
wares, all in quantities beyond the home conlump-
tion, a few ordinary vcllcls and utenfils of Hone mix-
ed with clay, fomc nmllard and (nulF bottles, a few
fjafks or flagpons, a Imall quantity of flieet glais
and of veflels for family ufe, generally of the infe-
rior kinds, arc all that arc yet made.

XV.

Manufaclurcs from the Jut and hones of ft a and
land animals, form a clals of confiderablc impor-
tance. Thefe are the fcvcral kinds of oil, foap,
fpermaccti and tallow candles, articles made of
whalebone, fal ammoniac, and volatile fait.

In addition to the above branches or clafles,
there are manufaQured, (bciides the quantities rc-
quifite for the home demand) a confiderablc value
for exportation, of the following mifccUaneous ar-
ticles— pot aflies and pearl afhes, chewing and fmok-
ing tobacco and Inuif, chccfe, working and plea-
fureable carriages, Windfor and varnifhed chairs,
oil of turpentine and rofin, wool and cotton cards,
and other implements and utcnfds for manufac-
turing; and a large value for home confumptioii
of fur hats, brufhes for domcftic and technical pur-
pofes, whips and canes, manufa£lurcs of horn,
mill (tones and hewn flone, lampblack, ochres and
other pait)ters' colours, fomc galenical and chemi-
cal preparations, clocks and watches, wearing ap-
parel, and a few manufaSurcs of filk.

e8o

[Paper A.]

Schf'dJf of the luhol^ Jiumher cf p:tfom nuilh'm the fevcral dlfiriBs of the
United Slaiesy accordw^ to an a/^ ** proTjidv?g frr the cvrj^^niratrm of
the inhabitants of the United States^* paffed March the \jiy 1790.

£ ^

- — — —

tJ"?

c: -^

.t:

0 "

S.4

^
k

DISTRICTS.

III

Slaves.

Total.

^ = s

" -^

1-lf

5 -;:?

u " c

U 4J

-0

4> rS

— •

4> >>

* Vermonr,

22,435

22,328

40,505

252

85,539

New-Hanip(hirc,

36,086

34.851

70,160

630

158

141. 185

5 Maine,

i Maflacfiufetts,

24,384

24.748

46,870

538

none.

96,540 •

9i'453

87,289

'90,582

5.4^3

none.

378,787$

Rhode-Ifland,

16,019

'5'799

32,652

3.407

948

68,825

Conne(*>icut,

60,523

54.4^3

117.448

2,808

2.764

237,946

New-York,

83,70c

78,122

T52,320

4.654

2',324

j 40, 1 20

New.Jerfey,

45>^5'

4'. 4'^'

83,^87

2,762

1^453

184,139

Pennfylvania,

110,788

106,948

106,363

6.537

3.737

434.373

Delaware,

II. 7^3

12,143

22,384

3.8 9

8,887

59,094

Maryland,

S?'9'5

51.339

For,395

8,043

103,036

319,728

5 Virginia,
\ Kentucky,

1 10,936

ri6,i33

215,046

12,866

292,627

747.610 J

73.677 5

15,154

17.057

28,922

114

12.430

North- Carolina,

69,988

77,506

140,710

4.975

100,572

393'75«

South- Carolina,

249,073

Georgia,

13.103

14,044

25.739

398

29,264

82,548

>, b*

■— C

g-3

> 3

0 —

v> ^

s «•

-S

M u

Slaves.

Total.

whit
nd u
ffam

1"!

(u re 0

t^ 13^

U. 0

'^ 6fl

« <u

>^J=

S. W. Territory,

6,271

10,277

i5»36s

361

3*417

35.691

N. W. Territoryf .

Truly ftated from the original returns depofited in the office of the Secretary of
State.

Oaober24, 1791. TH: JEFFERSON.

* This return was not figncd by the marfbal, but was iuclofed and referred to in
a letter written and figned by him.

X The population of the north weftern government is fuppofed to be a few thou-
fands, exclHfively of the military. (Note by Editor.)

26l

[Paper B.]

Ahjlra3 of the exports of the United Stales^ from the commencement of
the cu^om-hrjufs in the feveral flates, ivhich <was at different times in
Auguf, i']Sg,to the ^cth day of September ^ 1 790.

EXPORTED.

^antity.

ralu^.

ASHES, pot.

7>o50tVt tons.

dolls. 661,634

Afhes, pearl,

i,948,V,r do.

I77'459- 5

Apples,

5.898

barrels,

6,318

Boats,

372

Bombfhells,

tons,

100

Bricks,

870,550

2,617. 51

Beer and porter,

472

caflcs,

4,612

Brandy

do.

3,016

Cordials,

236

boxes,

637

Cordage

5'739

Carriages,

220

28,017

Candles, tallow,

149,680

lbs.

14,876

Candles wax

5»274

do.

2,461

Candles, myrtle,

249

do.

Cider,

442

barrels,

849

Cotton,

2,027

bales,

58,408

Coffee,

254*752

lbs.

45'755

Chocolate,

29,882

do.

3>537

Cocoa,

10,632

do.

950

Caflia and cinnamon,

9>392

do.

9.715

Deer Skins,

33,009

Duck, American,

bolts,

777

Duck, Ruflia,

220

do.

2,20Q

Earthen and glafs ware,

1,990

EfTence fpruce,

115

boxes,

Flaxfeed,

40,019

cafksj

236,072

Flax

21,970

lbs.

1,468

Furs,

60,515

Furniture,

8.315

282

dolls.

Ftjhery,

"Fifh, dried,

378,721

quintals,

828,531

Fifli, pickled.

36,840

barrels.

ii3.i<^5

Oil, whale,

i5'765

do.

124,908

Oil, fpermaceti.

5»43'

do.

79.542

Candles, do.

7o>397

lbs.

27,724

Whalebone,

121,281

do.

20,417

Grain.

"Buckwheat,

7,562

bufhels,

2,572

Corn,

2,102,137

do.

1,083,581

'^ Oats,

98,842

do.

20,900

Rye,

21,765

do.

13,181

LWheat,

1,124,458

do.

1,398,998

Ginfeng,

813

caiks.

47,024

Gunpowder,

5,800

lbs.

861

Gin, V

18,025

galls.

16,989

Grindftones,

203

450

Hairpowder,

IM34

lbs.

1,687

Hats,

668

1.392

Hay

2,126

tons,

12,851

Horns,

1,052

Ironmongery,

7,878

Iron, pig.

Z>S^S

tons,

91.379

Iron, bar.

200

do.

16,723

Indigo,

612,119

lbs.

537.379

Live Jloch,

' Horned cattle,
Horfes,
Mules,

5,40^

99,960

8,628

339.516

237

8,846

' Sheep,

10,058

17,039

Hogs,

5»304

14,481

. Poultry,

3^704

doz.

6,263

Lumber,

' Staves & heading.

36,402,301

463,229

Shingles,

67»33^ii5

120,151

Shook hogfheads.

52.558

32,002

Hoops,

1,908,310

19,598

X Boards,

46,747.730

260,213

Handfpikes,

2,361

doz.

1,505

Cafks,

2,423

3.697

Scantling,

8,719,638

feet.

95,308

Lumber difFt. kinds.

feet.

128,503

.Timber do.

do.

139.328

Leather,

22,698

lbs.

5,302

Logwood,

264

tons.

3.9»i

-ignum vitae,

176

do.

1,760

283

Lead and {hot,

do.

8ro

Mahogany,

18,531

Medicines and drugs,

1,735

Merchandize,

28,156

Molaffes,

15^537

gallons,

3»9C4

Mu<l<efs,

100

500

Nank-^ens,

bales.

2,315

Oil, linleed.

119

barrels.

1,962

Prov'i/ions.

fFlciir,

724,623

barrels.

4'59^293

Bread,

75,667

do.

209,674.

Meal,

99^973

do.

302,694

Peas and beans,

38,752

bufli..

25»746

B.^ef,

44,662

barrels,

279'55i

Pork,

24,462

do.

208,099

Hams and bacon,

^53^555

lbs.

19,728

Butter,

8,379

firkins.

48,587

Cheefe,

i44»734

lbs.

8,830

Potatoes,

5»3t8

barrels,

6,009

Tongues,

641

do.

1,598

Onions, vegetables.

22,936

Hogs lard.

^>35S

firkins,

31,475

Honey,

165

do.

990

Oyfters, pickled,

272

kegs.

27?,

Pimento,

7»5

bags.

4,928

Pepper,

6,100

lbs.

1,440

Paper,

169

reams.

381

Paint,

4,650

lbs.

963

P tch,

8,175

barrels,

17,488

Riw hides.

230

485

Rav:' fllk,

177

lbs.

489

Rofin,

361

barrels.

778

Rice,

100,845

tierces.

i>753'796

Rum, American,

370,331

gaUs.

1 35*405

Rum, Weft-India,

12,623

do.

5»795

Raifms,

213

caflis.

1,205

Salt,

31,935

bufhels,

8,236

Sago,

2,319

lbs.

455

Si)ap,

597

boxes,

3*967

SnufF,

i5»350

lbs.

5,609

Seeds and roots,

2,135

Shoes and boots.

5,862

pairs.

5,741

Sadlery,

5»54i

Starch,

1,125

Sugar, loaf.

16,429

Ib$.

3»4.^2

284

Sugar, brown,

SafTafraSy

Steel,

Stones, fawed,

Tallow,

Tobacco,

Tea,

Tar,

Turpentine,

Do. Ipirits,

Tow cloth.

Vinegar,

Wines,

Wax,

Amount of feveral returns received 1
iince the 15th February 1791./

33*358

do.

aoiis.
2»237

49^504

163

do.
bundles.

555
978

170

55^

200,020
118,460

1,672

lbs.

hhds.

chefts.

20,722

4>349»567
121,582

85,067
28,326

barrels,
do.

126,116
72,541

193

do.

1,032

67
24

pieces,
caflcs.

1,274
106

1,074

pipes,

83,249

231,158

lbs.
rica,

57.597

Daft of Ame

20,194,794
10,362

Total,

210,810 84

20,415,966.84

Quarterly returns, from feveral fmall diftri(Sts, are deficient .

*85

jifummary of the vahe and deJilncUion of the eitporis of the United States ^
agreeably to the foregoing alJiraS,

To the dominions of France, ^ — —

To the dominions of Great-Britain, —

9,363,416.47

To the dominions of Spain, —

2,005,907.16

To the dominions of Portugal, —

1,283,462

To the dominions of the United Netherlands,

1,963,880. 9

To the dominions of Denmark, —

224,415.50

To the dominions of Sweden, — —

47,240

To Flanders, — — . «

14,298

To Germany, — —

487,787.14

To the Mediterranean, — —

41,298

To the African iflands andcoaft of Africa,

139^984

To theEaft-Indies, — —

i35>»8i

To the North-Weft coaft of America, —

10,392

Dollars,

20,415,966.84

In addition to the foregoing, a confiderable number of packages
have been exported from the United States, the value of which be.
ing omitted in the returns from the cuftom-houfes, coruld not be
introduced into this abftrad.

TENCH COXE, AJi/iant Secretary.

Treafury departmenty "I
Feb* idth, 1 79 1. /

286
CHAPTER IX.

REFLEXIONS ON THE STATE OF THE AMERICAN UnION IN
THE YEAR M,DCC,XCII.

THE apparent profperity of the United States^
in the beginning of the year 1792, was attend-
ed with ferious doubts in the minds of many refpec-
table citizens, about particular matters, fome of
which are always of importance to the happincfs
of a people, and others of which are confidered as
peculiarly interefting to this country. A concife
examination into the general Jlate of the union appear-
ed to promife fatisfaQory explanations of many
of thefe doubts. The reflections, which enter
into the compofition oT this chapter, were fin-
cerely intended to anfwer that defirable end. They
may contain fome errors of fa6t, and more of opi-
nion and judgment. Yet as there are comprized in
them many truths, drawn from fources, which can-
not be materially erroneous, and as the opinions
have been tefted in fome degree by fubfequent ex-
perience and refle61ion, it is prefumed that a re-
publication of them may tend to inform, at leaft the
foreign world. It is certain, that we do not exhibit
any obvious fymptoms of a wrong balance of trade,
that the expediency of manufattures is rifing in the
ellimation of the cultivators, that our exports and
fhip-building are increafing, that the property of
emigrators contributes to fwell and fully to coun-
ter-balance any apparent excefs of our imports, that
our aggregate revenue continues to exceed the efti-

287

mates, that every good plan requiring capital, which
is fet on foot derives it quickly from the conhdence
of our monied citizens or from foreigners, and in
fhort, that the United States are in reality the com-
fortable original, which is depided in the following
fedion.

Rejle^ions on the State of the Union

'* Si quid novifti rciflius iftis,
" Candidus imperii ; fi rion his utere raecum."

SECTION I.

DISPASSIONATE enquiries concerning the
public interefts, are attended with falutary efFeds,
in every time and in every nation. In a country
like that, which we inhabit, fuch examinations are
unufally interefting, and may be rendered, it is be-
lieved, peculiarly beneficial.

To create the difpofition requifite to the proper
acceptation of fuch difquifitions, it is necefTary to
call to the public mind the variant characters of
the feveral dates, when they where provinces of a
more extended empire^ — the caufes which produ-
ced that difference of charafter — the means which
were deviled to increafe and perpetuate that vari-
ation and the ends to which thofe charaCleriftic
differences were intended to be inftrumental. Re-
flexions, duly ferious, upon thefe circumftances
will remind the people of the feveral ftates, that
they are naturally friends, whofe amity and

288

union have been too often viewed with jea-
loufy by rival eyes. They will perceive the wif^
dom and the high duty of cultivating a fpi-
rit of mutual allowance and conceffion ; and a
careful examination of their aftual fituation will
convince them, that greater ble{^ln^s will relult
from a perfed underftanding, and fedulous culti-
vation of their interefts at home, than from almoll
any arrangements, which the conceptions of fo-
reign nations will probably lead them to propofe,
or adopt.

The conlideration of our prefent fituation and
of fome interelling circumftances which have grown
out of it, are the objeO: of this inveftigation, in
which the benefits to be derived from a liberal in-
tercourfe with foreign nations will not be under-
valued. As no apology is necefl'ary for fuch an
endeavour, a mifcellaneous enquiry into feveral
matters, which are always deeply interefting to na-
tions, and into others which have refulted from
our public operations, will be profecuted without
further introduQion.

CONCERNING THE EXPORTS OF THE UnITED StATES.

It has been apprehended by perfons of obferva-
tion, at home, and the idea has prevailed in the
councils of a foreign nation,* that the exports of

* See the report of a committee of the lords of the Britifh privy
cmmcil, publifhed in the gazettes (of March) in Charlefton, South-
Carolina, — American grain has progreifively advanced by equable

289

the United States for the year preceding October,
1790, were greater in value than could be expeQ-
ed again, by reafon of the prices for grain which
were confequent on the fcarcity in France. The
exports of the fubfequent year will aid us in tefling
this opinion, which attrafts the more attention,
becaufe it is fometimes fuggefted that agriculture
and trade have been injured by the meafures of the
general government in regard to the public debt.
The firll return of exports, on which this conjec-
ture was founded, includes a term of thirteen
months and a half, and amounts to 20,415,966 dol-
lars. From this aggregate value a ninth part is to be
dedu8:cd, to equalize it with one years exportation,
which reduces the fum to 18,147,526 dollars. It
is very well known, that the prices of our produce
through the year lately returned, and which ended
with September 1791, had fallen to their antece-
dent rates, and it will be perceived on a compari-
fon, that our exports exceeded in their aggregate

and confiderable fteps, in the lafl fifty years. The caufe's of this rife
are the increafe of fhipping, particalaily Ameritan; tht introduf^icn
(df foreign fhipping, the intrcafe of maniifaflurers in Europe and
An^erica, the iricreafc of mills, particularly in America, the in-
creafe of diftilladon and brewing in America, the accumulation
of mefcantile capital in America, the increafe of commerce
arhtifib; all nations, tlie fnllntfs of pbpulation in the European ftates,
which fbrraerly exported grain, and the increafe of the circulating
medium ofthe world by mines, banks and bills of exchange. In 1737
wheat was fold for one-third of a dollar in the principal grain ports
ofthe United States: in 1771, 1772, 1773, and 1774, it fold on a
medium for near three quarters of a dollar; and -in the years 1792,
1793, and 1794., it has fold on a medium for more than a dollar.

value thofe of the former year. The laft return,
exclufively of two quarters of Charleflon was

dollars 17,571,55^
Thofe two quarters, at the rate
of the correfponding term in the
preceding year, would be about 700,000

dollars 18,271,551*

There remains not, therefore, the leaft caufe to
doubt, that our total exportations were eighteen
millions and a quarter, and confequently more than
in the antecedent year. It is to be obferved too
that the high prices which were current through the
time of the firft return, muft have produced an ex-
portation of all the grain that could be carried to
market, and none of the old crop could have been
left as ufual, to fell with the new. The obvious
efFe6l of this muft have been an unufual deduQion
from the exports in the following year. The valua-
tion of the exports of thefe ftates immediately be-
fore the revolution is not precilely afcertained :
but the whole exportations from North-America,
including the remaining colonies, and Newfound-
land, Bermuda, and the Bahamas, were computed
to have been in 1771, 15,280,000 dollars. In thefe
were comprifed the fhipments between thofe iflands

* The exports of the year ending on the 30th September, 1792,
are 21,000,000 of dollars. See return thereof in chapter 12.
Thofe of the following year exceeded 26,000,000.

29^1

and the main, and from province to province
as every veffel, which departed from one Ame-
rican port, to another, was obliged to clear out
her cargo, as if deftined for a foreign country.
It will appear to be fafe to fubtra6l for the differ-
ence produced by thefe two circumftances, one half
of the former exports, when it is remembered that
nearly two-thirds of the quantity of tonnage is pro-
bably employed in the intercourfe between the va-
rious parts of the prefent union, which is engaged
in that with foreign nations; and that the Britifh
Newfoundland fifhery alone, was eftimated at more
than 2,200,000 dollars in 1775. The increafe of
the tonnage employed in the foreign trade affords
another proof of the increment of our exports.
About 330,000 tons were laden in the prefent
United States in the year 1770, part of which
were deftined for ports now within the union.
About 600,000 tons have been loaded in each of
the two laft years for foreign ports, though our ex-
ports being in a much greater degree manufaftured,
are now contained in a fmaller proportionate com-
pafs: and boards, fcantling and ftaves, which are
our moft bulky commodities, have not increafed in
half the ratio of the tonnage employed.

An addition may be alfo made to the amount of
the return for the increafed fupplies in provifions^
cordage, and other materials, for the ufe and outfit
of foreign fhips, both of war and trade. Since the
prices of fait provifions have been reduced below
thofe of Ireland, and many articles applicable to

292

fhips* ufc, have been uiantifaBurcd here, this itiem
has become very coniiderahle; and fo far as the
articles are fold to foreigners, they are efl'entially
exports.

Under this h^ad, the inqreafed number of fhips,
fold to fpreign nations, may be fairly mentioned,
and though much has been faid of the number for-
merly difpafcd of abroad, it is nqt dovibtcd that a
greater value was fold in tl^at w^^y i|> the t,ime of the^
laft return. Of this fa6l f<3me further illuftratiort
will probably be given in the fcquel. It will be fuf^
fieient to pbferve here^ th^^ Vhe wbole quantity of
tonnage built and t^ativ.e v^lIoU repaired during th^
laft year, exceeds in value opc ^ilHpn of dollars.

The enlarged confumption niade withip our
country by foreign perfons of every defcription,
"who are certainly much more numerous than they
formerly were, is as prohtable to the cpuntry, as
the fame value in exports would have been. This
item will appear to be very confiderable, when the
expenditures of foreign minifters, confuls, tranfient
and refident foreigners, fleets and feamten, are cal.
led to mind. ---— . - . -.

The export trade of the United States and the
great increafe of home confumption have placed
the American producers in general on a very ad-
vantageous footing. The competition which ex.
ifts in our markets, between the purchafers fot the
account of foreigners of various nations, for our
own merchants, for the great confumption in the

^93

fea-ports and the parts adjacent to the coafts, and
for the ufe of the manufacturers, together with the
occafional fhipments made on their own accounts
by the fouthern planters, by the millers of the mid-
dle ftates, and by the owners of the eaftern fifliing
vefTels, afford the cultivators and filhermen fo ma-
ny alternatives, that they can always obtain the
beft prices, which circumftances will juftify. In
fliort, thcfe feveral demands, at once fteady, exten-
five and various, efficiently fupport our agriculture :
and though peculiar enterprize and faculties in
commerce and manufaftures, the power of capital,
and an intiqiate knowledge of our trade and interi-
or fyllem, enable a particular nation to partici-
pate largely in the exports of the United States,
the remainder of the world receives from us
a very confiderable value, and the variety of de-
mand, which the deftination of our exports proves
to exift, affords us certain relief from the con-
fequences of the commercial errors of any of
thofe countries, whofe citizens are our confumers.
Whenever fuch errors fhall occur — or fo far as
they may have already taken place, to diffufe a
knowledge of our refources among all nations, to
infpire them with confidence in our laws and modes
of dealing, and to convert our commodities by
manufactures, into every fhape, which there occa-
fions and our own may require, will prove a com-
petent and efficacious corrective.

|t is fatisfaCtory to obferve the regular increafe
of manufactured goods in our returns of exported

294

commodities. The nXimber in each of the two laft
years is upwards of one third, in a lill which
amounts to near three hundred articles. Hence
we may infer, that the tiyne is really arrived, when
foreign trade is increajed and enlivened by home ma-
niifaHures. This idea, together with the domeftic
commerce produced by them, will be more parti-
cularly noticed in another place.

CONCERNING THE MANUFACTURES OF THE UnITED StATES.

Inconfideringthisfubjeft it will be unnecefTary to
adduce many arguments to influence the judgment
of the eallern parts of the union. Many of our
citizens near the fea-coaft of the middle Hates are
equally convinced of the beneficial effcfts of ma-
nufa6lures. The cultivators in the fouthern and
weftern country, and a refpeQable proportion of
our mercantile citizens are apprehenfive of injury
to themfelves and to their country from the purfuit
of this objeQ. Thcfe are two defcriptions of per-
fons, whom it is in every view our duty to fatisfy, if
the truth and reafon will permit ; and it is princi-
pally from a due attention to them, that the fubje8:
is propofed to be examined here.

An opinion has prevailed that the fouthern ftates
will be facrificed to the eaflern, and in fome de-
gree to the middle ftates, by the plan of manufac-
tures. It is plain, however, that as the foil of the
eaftern ftates is not equal to the produftion of a
fufficiency of provifions and raw materials for
their own ufe, they muft refort to the middle and

295

fouthern dates for feveral raw materials and for
new fupplies of provifions. It is known, too, that
fome valu*ible articles for manufactures cannot be
produced but in the fouthern dates, fuch as cotton,
indigo, and rice*, and that tobacco is almofl: con-
fined to them. The fouthern dates and wedern
country will have confiderable advantages in the
fupport, which the home market of the manufac-
turers will give at all times, and efpecially in time
of war, (when freights will be high, and diipping
fcarce) to their agricultural and landed produc-
tions. Even now, in profound peace, it is the cafe.
Hemp was delivered in the ports of the middle
dates, from the lands of the fouthern dates, at
lefs than five cents per lb. in 1791. Nothing would
have kept it up to that rate, but the rope and twine
manufaQories of the middle and eadern dates, and
thofe which are growing up among themfelves.
The brewers of Philadelphia draw nearly as much
of their barley from the Chefapeak as they derive
from the lands of Pennfylvania. Thefe and other
fafts fhow the beneficial beginning of things. The
manufactures of fiiips and cordage throughout the
Union, procure from the fouthern nearly dates all
their tar, pitch, turpentine, oil of turpentine, and
rofin. The ports of Philadelphia and New- York, take
three-fourths of their diip timber from them, judly
preferring vedels of live oak and red cedar to all

* Rice is the raw material for the Eaft-Indian fpirit arraclf and
it is neceflary for a particular quality of ftarch ufed by the Euro-
pean manufadurers.

29^

others. The owners of the coal mines of Virginia,
enjoy the monoplyof all the fupplies for the manu-
facturers of the more northern dates, v/ho live in
the fea ports: a demand which is inefdAlring rapid-
ly. No lead mine of any confequence is yet work-
ed, except one near the fuperior waters of James
river. The fouthern Hates abound with iron, and
have much more fuel of all kinds than the northern
flates, and they have dreams for the moft power-
ful water works. Few or no very abundant depo-
fitsof coal have been yet difcovered further north
or eaft than the waters of the Ohio and the Chefa-
peak, even in internal fituations. The iron manu-
faftures of the United States are already important
in value, and immenfely fo in point of utility, or
rather oUieccJJily, Buildings, farms, manufactories^
Ihipping, fiflieries, fleets, and armies, all demand
them. In fhort the all-important landed inte-
reft would languifh, and its progrefs in profperi-
ty would be retarded in the counties of the
fouthern dates, even near the fea, if our prefent ma-
nufaChircs were to be abolifhed, and all future efla-
bliihments of that kind were to be given up. But
their inkind and wejiern counties cannot Jlourijh nn-
Itfs manufaBures Jhall be promoted and introduced
among ihtvi. In the counties of Pennfylvania 'be-
yond the Allegany mountain, are 63,000 inhabi-
tants, and probably 10,000 of thel'e are farmers.
The wool of that country is yet very inconfidera-
ble — their furs are more abundant. From t'hefe
two raw materials, no lefs than 10,140 wool hats.

297

and 2,200 fur hats are manufa6lured yearly in thir-
ty three hatters' fliops. Sail cloth (which, when
manufaftured, would be worth 30 cents per lb.)
could be made at Pittfburg, Winchcftcr in Virgi-
nia, Hilifborough, and Salilbury, in North-Caroli-
na, Camden, in South-Carolina, and Lewifville, in
Georgia, out of hemp, the value of which, there,
does not exceed 4 or 5 cents. To bring a ton of
hemp to the fea-ports from thofe towns, except
Lewifville, colls from 35 to 40 per cent, of its value.
To bring a ton weight of fail cloth from the fame
places to the fame ports would not coft above 6 or
8 per cent, and the manufa6lurers' provifions and
fuel are attended with fimilar favings. DeduQ for
a moment the demand of foreign commerce from
Alexandria and Winchefter, and the latter would
appear to be moft vigorous and flourifhing ; be-
caufe it manufactures more, having not fo high a
market for its provifions and raw materials. Thefe
obfervations apply with equal force to the whole
flate of Vermont and to all our interior counties.
The nation that fupplies us with hempen, flaxen,
and iron manufactures, takes immenfe quantities of
hemp, flax, and iron from Ruflia. Thefe Ruffian
raw materials are purchafed at the eaftern extremi-
ty of the Baltic, are tranfported to another foreign
country and manufactured there, are brought hi-
ther, and bawled through bad roads, 50, 100, 200,
and 300 miles into our moft productive counties,
which yeild the requifite raw materials. Thefe faCts
powerfully incite us to fofter manufactures of the

298

fame kinds, there and ellewhere. Till that fhall
be the cafe, we fhall continue to drag thofe raw
materials through the fame bad roads, and fhip them
under charges of carting and freight equal to a
third, an half, and two thirds of their value, accord-
ing to the diftance. NeglcQing and repelling
the eftablifhment of manufaftures, would occafion
immenfe dedu61ions from the profits of our lands ;
and due confideration, it is believed, wouW con-
vince us, that the beft interefls, nay the neceflities
of our landholders require the introduction of fome
kind of manufadory in almofl every vicinity.

The countries fouth of Pennfylvania are remark-
ably rich in foffils. Coal, copper, iron, lead, and
other minerals are found in either Maryland, Vir-
ginia, North or South-Carolina, or Georgia, or all
of them. Mineral appearances occur every where.
The promotion of manufadures is neceflary to draw
thefe forth ; and as they have immenfe forefls of
wood, and tlie moft powerful mill-ftreams, there
can be no doubt, that they will be brought into life,
as foon as thofe means fhall be adopted.

The family manufactures of the middle and inte-
rior counties of Virginia, North-Carolina, and the
interior counties of Georgia, South-Carolina, and
Maryland, are faid to be greater in value, than the
articles of foreign manufadures, which they ufe ;
and w^ere they univerfally awake to the facility,
profits, and national importance of this mode of
manufacturing, they might extend it much further.

299

without impeding their farming operations, while,
at the fame time, they would provide a new ufe
for their agricultural produ6\ions.

A fingle flate, Pennfylvania, has upwards of fif-
ty paper mills, which work up materials of no va-
lue. The manufaftures from thofe mills are com-
puted at two hundred and fifty thoufand dollars —
the perfons employed in them do not exceed one
hundred and fifty, or two hundred. That ftate
contains about one ninth of the people of the Unit-
ed States, and their contributions to the expenfes
of the government and the intereft of the public
debt, are confequently about 400,000 dollars.
Their paper mills, therefore, indemnify them for
five-eights of their quota ! It appears to be the du-
ty of government to encourage the people in all the
ftates to do the fame, efpecially as it can be done
by water-meanSy and not by men diverted from
their farms. The fouthern ftates do not want a
capacity * for this manufa61ure, which has acquired
an eftabliihment in Maryland, and has appeared as
far to the fouthward as North-Carolina.

It may be fafely affirmed, that the manufa6lures
of leather in the United States exceed in value all
our annual burdens. We import few or no fhoes»

* They wear cotton and linen more than the oDrthem ftates,
whofe climate requires more woolens. Out of the rags of the
former paper is made. Out of woolen rags it has not yet been
found practicable.

300

In each of the two laft years we have procured
from abroad no more than 70,000 pair of fhoes and
boots, for 4,000,000 of people. If we ufe only one
pair and a half per annum per perfon, at leventy-
five cents, they will amount to 4,500,000 dollars,
which exceeds every demand of the general and
ftate governments.t The hides, fl^^ins, bark, lime,
thread, briftles, and wax, nay, the very heehpegs*
are all drawn from our lands and farms. Recol-
le6ling this, and fimilar faBs, we cannot queftion
the utility of even handicraft manufaftures to the
farmers, planters, and landed intereft. Ifthema-
nufa6i;ure of flioes in this country, were abolifhed,
our annual debt to foreign countries would be in-
creafed to an amount equal to all our public con-
tributions. Similar obfervations might be made on
feveral other articles, and to a much greater ex-
tent on linen, cotton, and woolen fabrics. Cattle
thrive with little attention in the mild winters of
the fouth. That regin being more woody, they have
a greater quantity of bark than mod of the other
Hates.

The manufaBures of wool in Great-Britain have
been ftated by their minifters at £".16,800,000 Iter-
ling' — and the fimple manufaQures of liquors in
that country are faid to confume twenty-five milli-
ons of bufliels of grain. Were there no other proofs,
we could not doubt the importance of manufaftures
to the agriculture of that country. They nourifh and

+ A, D. 1 791— 2.

iupport it. We make up all our wool — our lands
produce cotton with great facility, and we manu-
facture liquors as eafily as Britain. There is no
doubt, that the latter branch already affords to our
farmers an annual market for 1,500,000 bufhels of
grain. This manufafture is well underftood and
carried on in all the fouthern ftates.

The objection, that manufaElures take the peo-
ple from agriculture, is not folid as elfewhere ob-
ferved ; fince women, children, horfes, water, and
fire, all work at manufactures, and perform four-
fifths of the labour; and as many manufacturers
migrate to the United States, it may be fairly af-
ferted that the quantity of agricultural induftry is
increafed by the impulfe and demand arifing from
manufactures. It may be reafonably afl^ed, whe-
ther a farmer does not raife the more cotton, flax,
hemp, and wool, becaufe his wife and daughters
fpin and weave them, or becaufe a water-work fpins
for them ?

The employment of the new medium, the pub-
lic certificates (which may be taken at j^. 15,000,000
flerling) in a country that formerly had not
/^. 3,000,000 fterling of medium, renders manufac-
tures neceffary at this time. It may be faid^ lands
will employ it. But farms fold well at the time
when j^'. 3,000,000 fterling was probably the utmoft
extent of our medium, and cannot therefore give
employment to the additional twelve millions^
though they might to a part of it. The firft appli-

302

cation of this capital is intended to be made to
the manufa6\uring of cotton, which is peculiar to
the fouthcrn ftates. This is one method by
'which thofe ftates will be benefited by even that
part of the public debt, which they do not own.
On this important point more will be faid hereaf-
ter. It merits the moft clofe attention and the
moil temperate confideration.

More money is employed in manu failures, than
in foreign commerce, becaufe the grofs value of
exported articles is much lefs than the grofs value
of manufa61ured articles. This will not be doubt-
ed, when it is remembered, that fhoes alone
amount to feveral millions of dollars. Thefe ma-
nufa6lures cannot therefore be deemed lefs impor-
tant to the fouthern landholders than foreign com-
merce; and thofe proprietors will not be difpofed
to negleft foreign commerce, nor will they confider
it as irrelative to their particular or local interefts.

SECTION II.
CONCERNING THE MANUFACTUEES OF THE UnITED StATES.

IN purfuing the confideration of American ma-
nufaftures as beneficial and necefifary to the fouth-
ern ftates, it will be ufeful to take a curfory view
of the indications of attachment and difpofition to
them, which are difcoverable in that quarter.

303

Virginia appears to be making a gr cdiicr progrefs
in merchant mills than any ftate in the union,
though fome are yet far before her in thofe benefi-
cial works. Maryland and Delaware which are in
the fouthern moiety, are fecond only to Pennfylva-
nia in this branch.* There is little doubt that
more pig and bar ii^on is made to the fouthward of
Pennlylvania, than to the northward of it. Alead
mine has been opened in Virginia, which is extend-
ing its fupplies through the union, and promifes fair
to be commenfurate with the prefent demand : and
there is one which is now worked, in the territory
fouth of the Ohio. But no lead mines are in confi-
derable operation in the ftatcs north or eafi; of
Virginia, though a fmall beginning upon one in the
weftern parts of Pennfyivania is made. An affoci-
ation in Virginia, another in the territory fouth of
the Ohio, and a company in the wellern diftritl of
South-Carolina, have provided themfclves with
carding and fpinning machinery on the Britifh plans
to manufaQure their native cotton. The planters,
in the fouthern ftates raife quantities of this raw
material, unthought of before the w^ar, and until the
difcullions of the fubjeft of manufaOures, which
took place fome time after the treaty of peace.
The family manufadures in cotton are much
greater in the four fouthernmofl: ftates, than in
the four eaftern ftates. There are not wanting
confiderable numbers o^ /keep in the five fouth-

* New^-York it is conceived, ought to pay more attention to
the milling bufinefs.

304

ern dates, yet by the two returns of exports,
it appears that no wool has been fent from thence
to foreign markets. It has been common to
receive wool in Pennfylvania from the eaftern
flates, though they manufafture fo much, but it
is not known that any is ever received there
for fale from the fouthern flates. Wool has been
tranfported to Salem, in North-Carolina, and to
Wincheder, in Virginia, from the city of Phila-
delphia, for the hat manufa6lory.

There has been full as great a current of emigra-
tion of Jloiir millerSy blackfmiths, tannerSy hatters^
cabinet-make7-Sy diJlillerSy cooper Sy i^c. to the fouth-
ern dates from thofe north of them, in proportion
to numbers, as of farmers ; fo that the workOiops
of the middle and northern dates yield a double
benefit to their fellow-citizens in the fouth, in fup-
plying them with manufa6lures, and artizans.

There is greater variety in didillation in the four
fouthern dates than in the four eadern — that is,
the manufactory is ejlahlijlied on a broader bajis. It
is alfo more certain in the fouth than in the north.
In the latter, molaffes is the principal ingredient
and being from an external fource, may be lod to
the eadern didillers. Their manufaftory is even
now at hazard, unlefs they refort to the grain of
the country to the fouthward of them. But in the
fouthern flates they manufafture fpirits from mo-
lades, peaches, apples, feveral kinds of grain, and
probably will, as their country is cleared, extend

305

it to the grape. This has been tried with fuccefs in
the experimental way, at Galliopolis, near the
Scioto. The diilillation of arack from rice will
probably be commenced if that grain fhould ever
fail in price.

The legiflature of North-Carolina made a loan
of money fince the late war to alTift the introduc-
tion of the paper manufactory.

An aflbciation containing forty of the mod re-
fpeBable planters and farmers, in the weftern dif-
tri8: of South-Carolina, has been eftabliihed within
a few years for the promoting of manufa61ures, and
agriculture. A fubfcription to the amount of about
25,000 dollars, has been made in the territory fouth
of the Ohio for the purpofe of carrying on the cot-
ton manufaftory. — An indication of zeal not equal-
led in any middle or northern ftate, confidering
that the whole population of the government is
30,OQO whites, and 5,000 blacks.

The preparation of tar, pitch, turpentine, fpirits
of turpentine, and rofin, in North-Carolina and its
vicinity, may be deemed a manufaBure as juftly as
the making of linfeed oil, pot afli, or ordinary
tanning. A very fmall quantity indeed, of thefe
articles, will, be made in the dates north of Virginia
becaufe nature forbids ; but they will, from obvious
reafons, incrcafe in the fouth.

During the exiftence of the date impod laws,
two of the fouthern dates (Maryland and A^irginia)

3o6

impofed an extra tonnage, not only upon foreign fhips
but upon thofe of the other ftates, by which they
evinced a ftrong difpofition to encourage the ma^
nufaEiurc ofJJiips, The fame two ftates laid duties
on the importation of fpirits manufactured in the
other parts of the union.

The ftate of Maryland impofed confiderable
protecting duties to encourage their own manufac-
tures. The legiflature of Maryland have encou-
raged the glafs manufaClory in that ftate by a con-
fiderable loan. That of Virginia pafl'ed a fpecial
aCl fince the peace, to encourage the manufactory
of fnuff and tobacco.

There are more faQories of cordage and cables
in two of the fouthern ftates, (Maryland and Vir-
ginia) than in any two of the ftates of New-Jerfey,
New- York, Connecticut, and New-Hampftiire.
Virginia laid a duty of two-thirds of a dollar on
cordage by her ftate impoft law.

The important manufactory of fiiips has become
greater in each of the three ftates of Maryland,
Virginia, and North-Carolina, than it now is in
New-Hampftiire. The fouthern ftate of Maryland
manufactured in 1790, as many veflels as any two
of the northern ftates of New- York, Connecticut,
and Rhode-Ifland.

The paper-mill in the United States, which is
moft remote from the fea, is to be found in the

307

town of Salem, in North Carolina, three hundred
miles from the ocean. No fuch manufaftures as
thofe of that village (a Moravian fettlement) in the
fouthern ftate of North-Carolina, exift in any
part of the union north of Maryland, equally re-
mote from the fea.

There are but two fcenes in the Atlantic counties,
in which coal, iron and waterfalls are yet found to-
gether in abundance. Thefe fcenes are therefore,
peculiarly qualified for the iron branch of manufac-
tures. The city of Richmond on the bank of
James' river, in Virginia, which is one of the places
contemplated, may be confidered in a permanent
view as having an inconteftable natural advantage
over any more northern y^^-^or^, in this interefling
branch. How profitable would it be to Virginia,
were all her pig and bar iron paffed under the tilt
hammers, or through the rolling and flitting mills,
which might be ere6led at that place.*

Some of the produce of the fifheries, as before
obferved, are to be deemed manufa6lures. The
herring and fliad (or river and bay) fifheries, fouth
of Pennfylvania are very confiderable. A barrel
of herrings is worth, on a medium at the fifhing
places, 250 cents. The manufatlure of the cafic,
the packing, curing, making pickle, and trimmings

* The exlftence of coal on the caller n boundary of Lnzerne
county, in Pennfylvania, and in the near parts of Northum-
berland, and in the weilcrnmoll parts of Northamptoa was not af-
certained in 1791.

3o8

amount to more than one fourth of the fum or
twenty five per cent. The caflc and manufafturing
of fpirits diftilled from molaffes, does not amount
to more than one fixth of the value of the com-
modity, or 16 2-3 per cent. A barrel o^ pickled
fiJJi of the fouthern ftates may be therefore as
juilly deemed a manufafture, as a cafk of coun-
try rum. A fimilar comparifon might be made
between this article and feveral other fimple
manufatlures of the middle and eallern parts of
the union. It is not intended to difcufs, at this
time, the propriety of granting bounties, but if
they were deemed proper grants, there are points
of view in which the fouthern dates would appear
to have a much greater intercft in them, than the
eallern ilates.

ift. As the fouthern dates cultivates greater va-
riety of raw articles — and are capable of producing
a much larger quantity of them, all that extenfive
clafs of bounties, which are refolvable into an en-
couragement to the growth of the raw material,
will be much more beneficial to them, than to the
eaftern ftates, which are more limited both in the
kinds and quantities they can bring forward for
the bounty.

2dly. The fouthern ftates having extenfive and
very rich interior and weftern counties, far from
navigable rivers, (which the eaftern have not) and
the produQions of thofe fcenes being liable to a
long andexpenfive land carriage, the bounty would

3^9

foon be found to enable them to bring the fimple ma-
nufaclures and razo viaierials to the markets on the
fea coajts^ which they would not, without the
bounty, attempt to tranfport thither. This will
not be deemed a mere fuggellion of ingenuity,
when it is remembered that the Britifh and Irifh give
bounties on their fabrics, and even on the bulky
articles of flour, grain, and bifcuit, to enable the
exporter to deliver them with advantage in foreign
markets.

It is an obvious truth, that every thing is more
valuable in proportion to the number and extent
of its uJeSy or the purpofes to which it can be ad-
vantageoufly applied. Flax, hemp, wool, filk, cot-
ton, indigo, tobacco, hides, iron, wood, grain, and
cattle, are valuable, where they are w^anted mere-
ly as exports; but they manifeftly acquire a new
or fecond value, when wanted to employ, acconio-
date, or nourifli manufaftirrers. In places from
whence thofe articles cannot be exported, without
a great expenfe of tranfportation, it is very defira-
ble to give them this fecond ufe ; but in fituations
too interior to be aifeQed by the demand for
exportation, and where of courfe they are not re-
quired for the purpofes of external commerce, this
new ufe mujl be created for them, or they will not
he produced, and agriculture will confequently lan-
guilh. This view of the jubjecl evinces the indif-
penfable neceffty of manufaHures to the profperity of
the interior and wejlern country as before intiinated.
Nor will thefe ideas appear, on examination, to be

310

merely plaufible conjefliires. They are no lefs
fupported by the a6lual ftare of things, than by pro-
bability and reafon. The towns of Wafhington,
Pittfburg, Bedford, and Huntingdon, in Pennfyl-
vania, (the neareft of which is 150 miles from a
fea-port, exhibit the ftrongeft proofs, that manufac-
tures are the natural and beil fupport of the inte-
rior landed intereft, and are neceflkry at once to
the accommodation, the comfort, and the profperi-
ty of the cultivators of the middle and weftern
country. The following table contains an account
of the population of thofe villages, which is not ex-
aggerated.

6
o

fcJD

•p

■^

^! ^

tJ ; -O

'P^\

Clock and watchmakers, — —

Silverfmiths, — —

Coopers, — —

2 1

Skin-drefTers and breeches makers.

Tanners and curriers, — —

^ '

I'ailors, — —

Cabinet makers, — —

Blackfmiths, — —

5 3

Shoemakers, — —

5, 2

Hatters, — —

2 1

Dyers, — —

Weavers, — —

Reedmakers, — -—

Saddlers, — —

3 2

Saddletree-makers, — —

Splnningwheel-makers, —

Nailors, — —

Malfters and Brewers, — —

Potters, — —

Tinners, — —

Diftillers, — —

Wheelrights, <— —

Stocking-weavers, — —

Gunfmiths, — —

Ropemakers, — —

Whitefmiths, — —

Total of manufadurers, —

40 15

Total families, •— —

130

It appears from this table, that in thofe county-
towns (or feats of juftice) in the interior and wefl-
ern parts of Pennfylvania, the neceffity for manu-
faftures has occafioned a little congregation of ar-

* The population of Wafhington is unknown but It is lefs than
that of Pittiurg.

lizans, in the proportion of twenty-fcven parts in
one hundred^ of the whole village in the Imalleft
inftance, and in the proportion of thirty- feven parts
in one hundred, in the largeft. The town of Wafh-
ington, which is the moft remote, and is near to
the Ohio, has been created fince the late war. Its
diftance is about 300 miles weft of Philadelphia.
The variety of its manufaftures is flriking, and it
may be fafely affirmed, that at the feats of juftice,
in the counties of Delaware, Bucks, Chefler, and
Montgomery, which are nearefl to Philadelphia,
as great a number of manufactures, in propotion
to their refpc6tive population, does notexift, though
the family manufactures are much more confiderable
in thefe counties, and though they have very nume-
roustanncrics, iron works,powder-mills,paper-mills,
blackfmiths, hatters, fhoemakers, weavers, and
other valuable workmen, in their villages and fcat-
tered throughout their populous townfnips. This,
however, is the cafe, in fome degree, likewife in the
townfliips of the weitern Icene above defcribed.

In the midland counties of Pennfylvania, ma-
ny precious manufactures have refulted from a
Jlourijliing agricullure, and, immediately on their
birth, have contributed to the profperity of the
cultivators. The borough of Lancafter, which is
the largeft inland town in the United States, is
fixty-fix miles from a feaport, and ten from any
praCtifed boat navigation. The number of fami-
lies was in. 1786, about 700, of whom 234 were
manufacturers. The following is the lift of them.

313

Fourteen hatters, thirty-fix fhoemakers, four tan-
ners, feventeen faddlers, twenty-five tailors, twen-
ty-five weavers of woolen, line!), and cotton cloth,
three (locking weavers, twenty-five white and black
fmiths, fix wheel v;rights, eleven coopers, Cix clock
and watchmakers, fix tobacco and fnuff manufaQur-
ers, four dyers, feven gun fmiths, five rope makers
four tinners, two brafs founders, three ikin drefiers^
one brufh maker, feven turners, feven nail makers,
five filver fmiths, three potters, three brewers,
three copper fmiths, and two printers in Englifh
and German. There were in 1786 alfo, within
thirty-nine miles of the town, feventeen furnaces,
forges, rolling mills and flitting mills, and within
ten miles of it eighteen grain mills, fixteen faw
mills, one fulling mill, four oil mills, five hemp
mills, two boreing and grinding mills for gun bar-
rels, and eight tanneries. The increafe fince 1786,
mud have been very confiderable ; for the attention
of the United States has been very much turned
to manufa6lures fince the year 1787. It may be
fafely affirmed, that the counties of Lancafter (in
which the borough is) York and Berks are among
the mofl vigorous in Pennfylvania, perhaps in the
union, and that there are none in the {late in which
there are more manufactures, is beyond all queftion.
They are all fifty miles or more, from the neareft
fea-port.

Information through feveral channels, affords
the greateft reafon to believe, that the interior of

R r

314

Frederick and Elizabeth towns, in Maryland, Stan-
ton, in Virginia, Lexington, in Kentucky, and
other towns in the fouthern ftates, would prove on
examination, fimilar to thofe of Pennfylvania, and
that the improvements in neceflary manufaftures
are as vifible and as rapid, as thofe in agriculture*.

* The following account of the fize and of the manufactures of
Winchefter, in Virginia, is furnifhed by a perfon lately a refident
in that place It appears to exceed even the towns of Pennfylvania
in the proportion of manufacturers.

There are about two hundred houfes in Winch efter. Provifions
and wood are low.

There are four or five tan yards. The demand for leather is fo
great, that it is generally fold unfit for ufe.

One rope yard carried on cxtenfively.

One or two coachmakers. Few carriages are ufed, the roads
being yet rough.

The bakers and diftillers brew occafionally.

There are three or four diftillerics in the town. In the neigh-
bourhood there are many.

There are alfo feveral oil mills in the neighbourhood. The price
of flaxfeed is 2/ and 2/6 per bulhel, Virginia money.

Grift mills are numerous in the neighbourhood ; and teams are
conftantly employed in the tranfportation of flour to Alexandria :
dittance eighty miles : carriage i| dollar per barrel.

One copperfmith, who carries on his bufinefs very extenfively.

Three tin plate workers.

Eight or ten hatters. Wool hats, of Winchefter make are in
much repute, and are vended in large quantities. Price eleven
dollars per dozen. Single hat, one dollar.

(cf* Note. Wool is one third of a dollar per lb. and is often or-
dered up from Philadelphia by the Winchefter hatters.

Twelve or fifteen faddlers.

(^ Note. This manufafture, as well as the hatting, is in a
fiourijhing condition^ and carried on 'very extenfively.

Five or fix blackfmiths — one employed in plating faddle trees.

315

The reflexions arifingfrom thefe fafts are highly
fatisfaftory, and as they open new and extended
views of the refources and capacities of the United
States, they muft increafe the prevalent difpofition
of the people to improve the interior economy of
our country. It is devoutly hoped, that they may
alfo contribute to remove the apprehenfions of our
fouthern and weftern fellow citizens, in regard to
unjuft facrifices of their interefts to thofe of their
brethren in other quarters, and that they may lead
to fuch further examinations as will finally evince
thofe immenfe direQ and indireQ benefits from
American manufaftures, which are fincerely be-
lieved to pervade the whole union.

CONCERNING THE MANUFACTURES OF THE UnITED StATES,
AS THEY AFFECT THE MERCANTILE INTEREST.

Many of the fhipholders and merchants trading
with foreign countries, fuppofe, but it is believed
erroneoufly, that they have no intereft in the pro-
motion of manufactures. It is known that Great-
Britain with feventy millions of acres of populated
land, fhips fourteen millions (her whole exports
being near twenty millions) in her own manufac-
tures. The foreign trade of that kingdom, with-
out manufaftures would manifeftly be neither {o

Three or four wheelrights. '

Eight or ten tailors.

Eight or nine fhoemakers.

Four or five weavers. Two fpinning wheel makers

Three or four faddle tree makers.

3i6

great nor i'o various — for the value of the produce
manufaQured is increafed from one hundred to ten
hundred per cent, and more ; as is alfo that of the
imported raw materials, which conflitute a great
portion of their trade. The foreign commerce of
the United States, is already enlivened by manu-
faQures. Ships, boats, oars, and handfpikes, bar
iron, fleel, nail rods, carriages of all kinds, hats,
flioes, cordage, candles, foap, oils of feveral kinds*
llarch, hair-powder, dillilled fpirits, malt liquors,
cabinet wares, plate, puncheon packs, gunpowder,
pot-aflies, bricks, chocolate, muftard, tow linens,
fail-cloth, potter's ware, fadlery and harnefs, wool
and cotton cards, paper and paper hangings, tan-
ned leather, books, Inuff, manufaftured tobacco,
and iron manufactures are now frequently export-
ed to foreign countries. Coaftwife there is alfo a
great trade in thefe and many other manufactured
articles, and in raw materials and provifions for the
manufafturers within the United States.

An argument of great importance to the fhip-
holders, exporters, and underwriters, and indeed
to the cultivators of the earth, in fupport of manu-
factures is to be drawn from their tendency to pro-
mote in an eafy, certain, fafe and cheap way, the
naval capacities and ftrength of the United States.
The tranfportation of provifions, coal, raw materi-
als, and other articles from the fouthern and mid-
dle dates to the northern, and the diffufion of the
manufaClures, of the towns on the coaft, throughout
the union, already employs many veifels. The

317

rice, indigo, cotton, hemp, flax, iron, hides, furs,
tar, pitch, turpentine, rofin, wax, tobacco, wood
and timber, flour and grain, fiiipped from the ilates
on, and to the fouthward of the Chefapeak, for the
manufa6i:urers in the middle and northern ftates,
give employment at this time to a very confidera-
ble portion of our tonnage. This cannot be doubted,
when it is remembred, that our coafters are 1 10,000
tons, though our veffels in all the foreign trades pro-
bably do not much exceed 150,000;* and the former
are entirely out of the reach of foreign rellriBion,
confequently (with thefiftiing vefl'els) are our moft
certain dependence. The weight of this circum-
ftance, will be not a little increafed by the recollec-
tion, that the coafting trade it uncommonly intereft-
ing to a nation without tranfmarine colonies or do-
minions.

When we confider the fiflieries as one of the
mod efficacious modes of creating the powers of of-
fence and defence at fea, and that our agriculture
and commerce, muft therefore be fupported and
defended by our fifhermen, and fifhing veffels,
among other means, it will be fatisfaBory to the
cultivators, and merchants, that they will be
promoted by the fuccefs of our manufa6lures.
Skins and furs of fea animals, whalebone, and the
head matter of the whale, are ufed by various ma-
nufafturers for leather, hats, whips, candles, i&c.

* A. D. 1 79 1, and of courfe exclufive of fifhing vcfiels.

3i8

The oils are ufed by leather dreflers, fhipbuilders.
Sec, and inftead of candles.

It will be unneceflary to adduce to our mercan-
tile citizens any arguments to prove, that the Unit-
ed States generally pay a premium on the bills
purcbafed for their remittances for European ma-
nufa6tures. The exports, fales of vefTels, their
outward freights and fales of lands, to foreigners,
are the ordinary means applied to the payments for
our imports, after deducing that part of them,
vhich belonging to emigrators, is not to be re-
mitted or paid for. It is interefling to afcertain
the reafons for our continuing to lofe by the courfe
of exchange. The principal caufe probably is,
that we draw fo very large a proportion of our
manufaQures from one nation, that there is con-
ftantly a trebled demand for bills on that coun-
try. It is of importance to difcover how this
is to be remedied. The other European nati-
ons have had the eight years of the war almojl
exclujivelyy and the nine years of the peace^ in a
fair competition and do not fupply us with manufac-
tures equivalent to haf of the Jlated value of the
fhoes made hy ourfelves! It appears then, that owr
own exertions only, can relieve our merchants from
this annual lofs on their remittances for feveral
million of dollars.

It may not be improper to take a view of the
article of diflilled fpirits as a commodity, which we

3^9

are capable of manufafturing to any extent, and
which while it will be an aid to agriculture, will alfo
be an obje6l of coafting and foreign trade. We have
imported, in a fingle year, above eleven millions
of gallons of foreign fpirits and molafles. If one
million of gallons of the latter were ufed in fubftance
then our imports of fpirits and ingredients made
into fpirits, would Hand at ten millions of gallons.
The value of thefe, as they coft the country may
be fairly taken at one third of a dollar on a medi-
um, and will give 3,333,333 dollars, which is above
one-fixth part of the annual value of our exports*.
As five millions of bufhels of grain would be confum-
ed in the manufaQory of a quantity of fpirits equal
to what was imported, in the form of fpirits or in-
gredients employed to make them, there is no oc-
cafion for argument to prove, that the landed interejl
would be greatly benefited by the manufadure of
grain liquors (or fruit liquors) in lieu of the ten
millions of gallons drawn from foreign fources.
And in regard to the mercantile interejl^ it may be
obferved, that the fupply of a foreign commodity
is always precarious, and accordingly the difturb-
ances in the feveral parts of the French empire, and
the lofs of their vintage, have deprived us of the
ufual importation of their brandies fince the laft
autumn, and of the accuftomed fupply of molaifes
from the crop of 1792 of their principal colony.
Thefe two defalcations will probably amount to
fome millions of gallons, and muft produce a void

« A.D. 1791.

320

in a confiderable branch of our foreign trade, for
we fhall not have it in our power to import the
brandies and molafl'es, nor to export the returns
for them, which have employed many thoufand
tons of (hipping, and a confiderable part of our
mercantile capital and induflry ; nor fliall we be
able to export dillilled fpirits, manufaftured from
molafl'es, which has alio employed our veflels,
private funds and induflry. How are the mer-
chant and ftiipholder to be relieved under thefe
injuries to their bufinefs ? Manufafturing diftilled
fpirits and malt liquors* from native materials
will afford confiderable relief. Their capital and
veflels may be employed in purchafing and tranf-
porting, from the rivers and bays of the United
States to the diftilleries and breweries, a part at
leaft of the requifite quantities of grain, hops, fuel,
and lumber, and of the manufa6lured liquors, to
domeflic or foreign markets. Nor is this a mere
probability. It is already an exifting fa6t. The
manufaQure of grain liquors in the town of Provi-
dence (in Rhode-Ifland) alone, in the firfl three
months of the prefent year, w^as equivalent to 12056
cafes of geneva per ann. If the Dutch import grain
enough from the north of Europe, to make and
diftribute gin throughout the world, from Archan-
gel to Canton, which is really the cafe, it cannot
be doubted that the United States, which have the
greatefl furplus of grain of any country upon
earth, which are rapidly increafing it, which are

* See paper T. in the fccond book.

further from their confumers than any nation ex-
porting grain, which have the wood to make the
cafks for it, and the fhipping to tranfport it, and
are themfelves great confumers of malt liquors and
diftilled fpirits, it cannot be doubted that a nation
thus circumftanced, mull be able to manufa6lure
thofe articles with facility and advantage to any ex-
tent of the demand. The benefits to foreign trade
from the manufadure of fhips, cordage, fail-cloth,
and anchors, as neceflary inftruments of com-
merce, and from thofe articles and pot-afh, foap,
candles, fleel, carriages and other articles, for fale
to foreigners here, or as payments or remittances
to them abroad are already too obvious to need
more than to be enumerated : but too much atten-
tion cannot be given to our fituation, qualifica-
tions, and profpefts in regard to the home manu-
faQure of liquors, confidering the difturbed ftate
of the fugar iflands, the increafed confumption and
prices of all the productions of the cane, the im-
pediments to the ordinary importation of flaves, the
objeftions to the flave trade which are appearing in
different quarters, the immenfe population of the
manufacturing countries of Europe, and their con-
fequent neceffity to employ in the culture of grain
the lands they recently appropriated to the vine, as
well as the impoffibility of their fparing for the
making of liquors all the barley, rye, and oats,
which were formerly confumed in that manufacture*

There is alfo a confiderable portion of foreign
trade, created by the importation of raw materiaU

322

and other necefTaries for the employment and con-
fiimption of the manufafturers : the articles con-
templated are cotton, hemp, bar iron, Iheet iron,
copper and brafs in pigs and fheets, lapis calamina-
ris, lead, pewter, wire of every metal, woolen^
cotton, and linen yarns, hempen yarn, hides, fkins,
and furs, wool, paper for books and hangings, dy-
ers colours, and fome others, varnifh, printing
types, bullion for gold and filverfmiths, gold and
filver leaf, glue, mahogany, and other cabinet
^voods, molafles, and crude fugars for diftillcrs and
refiners, manufafturers tools and implements, fuch
as vizes, fcrewplates, anvils, hammers, axes, hatch-
ets, knives, awls, pincers, grindftones, hatters bow-
ftrings. Sec. glafs plates for looking glafs makers
and coach makers, callicoe and linens for printing,
morocco fkins, and many other commodities, which
are expended in the workfhops or families of our
manufafturers, including foreign articles of ap-
parel, furniture, food and drink.

SECTION III.
A CONTINUATION OF THE REFLEXIONS ON THE MANUFACTURES!

OF THE United States as they affect the mercantile

INTEREST.

S O M E of the benefits to the coafting trade
and other parts of the domeftic commerce refult-
ing from manufa6lures, have already been intimat-
ed in treating of the manufacture of liquors. Be-
fides thefe, bark and hides for the tanneries, iron,
lead, fteel, copper, hemp, flax, wool, cotton, filk.

323

wood, timber, furs, tobacco, flaxfeed, and grain,
for the manufa6lurers of thofe articles, and provi-
{ions, fuel, indigo, and other objeQs of tiieir con-
fumption and ufe, together with the goods made by
them, are, and conftanily will be purchaled, tranf-
ported from place to place, and fold j creating a
great part of the employment for 110,000 tons of
coafting vefTels, exercifing a large poriion of com-
mercial induftry and fkill, and affording a return
of profits, on a very confiderable fum of mercan-
tile capital, employed in the bufinefs. This branch
of our trade is o^ peculiar importance ; becaufe we
have no tranfmarine colonies, and while the re-
dundancy of lliipping owned by moft nations, will
leave us but little chance of materially increafing
our vefTels in the foreign trades, the extenfion we
may give by it, in the courfe often years, to our home
trade and navigation, will probably be very great.
We have brought cotton, lugar, and faltpetre to
be manufactured, from India, fulphur from the Ad-
riatic, hemp, flax, and iron, from Ruflia, copper from
Sweden, furs, indigo, and mahogany, from the gulph
of Mexico, and coal for our workmen from Eng-
land : and we cannot doubt, therefore, that we fliall
tranfport thofe commodities and others, from fuch
of the ftates as produce them, to thofe which fhall
create, or have already eftablifhed, a manufaEluring
demand.

Foreign commerce being limited by the combi-
ned value of our imports, and exports,* any mer-

* The negociations and infurances for foreigners are confiderable,
butthefe operatigns require little ufe of capital.

324

cantile capital, which might accumulate beyond the
fum requifite for thofe purpofes, would want em-
ployment of a commercial nature, if the merchant
were not able to have recourfe to manufa6lures.
This is not a mere fpeculation in poflible events;
for confiderable trading houfes, and others of re-
fpe8:able (landing, have actually entered into fuch
purfuits. Glafs-houfes, rope-walks, powder-mills,
iron-works, fteel-works, flitting and rolling mills>
grifl-milis, naileries, fugarrefineries, breweries and
diftilleries, the manufa6lory of fail-cloth., and of
woolen, cotton and linen" goods, exhibit at this mo-
ment numerous proofs of the faft. The commer-
cial ftates, which do not produce much, will yearly
confirm this truth.

It is too well know to need more than a bare al-
legation of the truth, that our outward bound vef-
fels are always completely laden, and that they do
not on a medium return half fuH. It will there-
fore, increafe the profits of the owners of fhips, if
the outward cargo can be rendered more valuable
by manufacturing the goods to be exported. This
may be exemplified in regard to wheat and the Am-
ple manufaQure of fuperfine flour. A veffel, which
will carry ten thoufand bufhels of the former, at
the price of a dollar per bufliel, will be laden for
10,000 dollars; but the quantity of fuperfine flour
(3,000 barrels) which the fame veflel would receive,
will amount at a proportionate price, to the fum of
15,000 dollars. The fame quantity of tonnage,
filled with our bottled porter, diftilled fpirits, ftcel.

325

cordage, ftarch, pearl alhes, carriages, cabine-t
wares, plate, candles, foap, linfeed oil, paper, hats,
fhoes, &c. would rife to a much greater value ; and
of confequence, the owners of the veffel would be
able to purchafe more goods for the return cargo,
by which the fhip being fuller would make a great-
er fum in freight back. This circumftance is ren-
dered of the more confequence, by reafon of our
diflance from the greater part of the confumers of
our furplus produce: and it is obvious, that fliips
will be mod profitable in thofe trades, wherein the
meafurement of all our imports, fhall be equal to
the meafurement of all our exports. Veflels, which
depart and return fully laden, cannot fail to enrich
their owners.

No arguments will be neceffary to convince the
judicious and reflefting mind, that the employ-
ment of large capitals and of many merchants and
traders is moft certain and eafy, where there are
the greateft number and variety of objefts to be
bought and fold. As our commercial towns,
therefore, have offered manufaftured commodi-
ties to thofe, who come thither to trade, they
have increaied in bufinels. Pot afh, pearl afh,
country rum, and other domeftic liquors, loaf
fugar, &c. have already contributed to fwell their
exports, by attra6\ing foreign demand, or increaf-
ing the number of profitable objefts of fhipment.
Thefe will naturally multiply under the hands of
our manufafturers, and inflead of markets, in which
nothing but lumber, tobacco, live-ftock, provifions.

and raw materials were formerly to be obtained,
our fea-ports will be converted into magazines, in
which not only all thofe articles will Itill be pro-
curable but the various commodities manufaQured
from them. For thefe goods in whatever fhape,
purchafers will never be wanting: cheap merchan-
dize as certainly attraEls buyers^ as water finds its
level. Nor is this mere fanguine hope, or ingeni-
ous luggeftion ; for it is an obvious truth, that the
greatejl manvfaUuring nations in the old world, are
the greatefi traders to foreign parts. Holland,
when moft remarkable for manufaQures, traded to
the amount of eighty millions of dolars per annum
in the commodities of other countries.

A FEW GENERAL REFLECTIONS ON AMERICAN MANUFAC-
TURES*

The political concord and attachments, which
grow out of mutual benefits, are the moft rati-
onal and permanent. To encourage thefe is
the piety of American patriotifm. In this view,
the cement, which will be given to the nation-
al union, by the interchanges of raw materials,
provifions, fuel, and manufactures among the
feveral ftates, is of ineftimable value. If Euro-
pean nations have fhown difpoiitions of amity
and mutual forbearance, on thefe confiderations, it
cannot be doubted that fifter ftates will evince
equal wifdom and virtue. If many parts of our
union, from policy or a temporary neceflity for ma-
nufaQured fupplies, have been willing to exhibit

327

the greateft liberality toward thofe foreigners, with
whom they have been recently at the wideft vari-
ence, and whom they ftill confider as little lefs than
hoftile, it muft appear very defireable, that the ca-
pacity at once to accommodate thofe ftatesand en-
gage their regard, fhould be transferred from dif-
tant ftrangcrs, to our own continent, and our own
kindred. If the merchants and manufaSlurers of
the opulent nation with whom the United States fo
long waged war, influenced by the hope of our con-
fumption, cried aloud for peace, and, on the mo-
ment of its return, prefTed with all the courtefies of
commerce to our fliores, the exifting friendfliip of
the feveral parts of the union for each other mufl be
ftrengthened by fimilar influences, as they fiiall be
progreffively created.

The animated profecution and liberal encourage-
ment of manufactures, is at this moment a great po-
litical duty. The national legiflature has increaf-
ed the impoft on foreign merchandize, to defray
theexpences of the Indian war. The continuance
of a great part of the duties is to be no longer than
that of the hofl:ilities, which occafioned them to be
laid. If the interval fiiould be diligently employed
in the promotion of manufactures, which thefe du-
ties are calculated to create and to proteft, the
temporary injuries of the Indian war will be ac-
companied and followed by great, folid, and per-
manent benefits. The military expence is rendered
lefs burdenfome by the employment given to our
own workmen. The flioes, boots, horfemen's caps.

328

hats, buckles, buttons, fadlery, fpears, rifles, gun-
powder, and other articles for the ufe of the army,
are made by American manufafturers. It is per-
ceived, that war, which often interrupts foreign
commerce and generally dimnifhes the prices of
agricultural produ6lions for exportation, has in this
inftance no effefts of that nature ; but by judici-
ous arrangements, may be rendered inftrumental
to the greateft fupport of the landed intereft — the
manufaBures of the United States. The lamentable
havoc of the field muft inevitably diminifli the
number of our citizens; but there is every reafon
to believe, that thofe, who, in the courfe of the
prefent Indian war, may fall under the banners of
their country, will prove inferior in number to
thofe who will be drawn, by the influence of the
new duties, from foreign countries, to the ftandard
of American manufaQures : and although the moft:
ufeful arts are no compenfation for the lives of our
compatriots, the acquifition of a greater number of
new citizens will counterbalance the political evil
refultiug from fuch a lofs, fo far as it may unhap-
pily occur*.

It is detrimental to the United States, that the
manufaQurestheyconfume are drawn from nations,
whofe citizens pay much greater contributions to
their governments than our manufafturers, and
confequently, that we, fo far forth, are fubje6l to

* It Is conceived that the obfcrvations in the preceding paragraph
apply to the duties laid on account of the Algerine depredations.

3^9

their taxes, impofts, and cxcifes. In Great-Britain for
example, their national taxes are feven times as large
as ours, in proportion to the numbers of people in
the two countries ; and their poor rates and church
rates are each more than double our whole national
contributions. The monopolies of thole countries
fall heavily upon the confumers, among their citi-
zens; and thofe, who purchafe their fabrics, bear
a part of this burden, which lies on their manufac-
turers. The commercial charges paid by the Kng-
lifh Eaft-India company ^^r{?^<i, amount to one milli-
on of dollarsper annum: the freight and the charges
in England are about two millions and two-thirds
more, exclufively of duties. The company's civil
and military charges would, in two years like the
prefent, pay all the expenfes of our government,
and difcharge our national debt*. The reftriQions
on navigation and trade in the European nations
alfo enhance the price of raw materials and articles
of confumption required by their manufaBurers,
all which fall ultimately upon the people of the
United States, fo far as their fabrics are confumed
here. Thefe confiderations fhould induce our
moft ftrenuous exertions, to diminifh thofe indire6l
burdens, and at the fame time they hold out an
abfolute certainty of a fuccefsful ilTue to our ef-
forts.

In taking a view of the affairs of the United
States, and comparing them with the fituation of

* A. D. 1791.

330

moft of the great commercial nations of Europe,
the mind is immediately imprefled with the peculi-
arity of their being without tranfmarine colonies.
Though fpeculative politicians have entertained
doubts in regard to favourable effects from fuch
poflefTions, taking into view the expences of their
improvement, defence and government, no queftion
has been made but that the monopoly of their
trade greatly increafes the commerce of the nations
to which they are appertenant. Of fuch an advan-
tage the United States do not enjoy the benefit ; and
confidering this circumftance, and the prevailing
difpofition to reftri8: commerce, our fifheries, coaft-
ing trade, and inanvfaBurcs appear to merit extra-
ordinary attention.

The confideration of manufaftures, upon gene-
ral principles, has been, for feveral years, before
the legiflatures as well of the ftates,as of the union.
The eftimation of their importance to the landed
and national interefts appears to have been greatly
heightened by difcuffion and enquiries into fa61s.
Houjehold manufactures, have acquired univerfal
and decided approbation. To thofe which are
conduced by labour>faving machinery and procef-
fes, by horfes and oxen, and which confequently
do not require manual operations, no objection
has been made. Such of them as can be carried
on by the manufacturers now among us, by thofe
who may migrate hither, by the wives and children
of our citizens, and by black women, old men and
children, have not been confidered as diminifhing

331

the raafs of agricultural indaftry, but as manifeftly
promoting it by new and extenfive demands^

The prefent difcuflionof the fubjeQ will be ter-
minated by remarking, that although this great fub-
divifion of our political economy has been copiouf-
ly and freely treated in every mode, it has not on-
ly preferved its original importance in the public
judgment, but has rifen in the eftimation of the peo-
ple in every part of the union — a fate that rarely
attends unimportant truths or dangerous errors in an
enlightened country. (See table of duties on foreig,n
manufaB-ures, &c. paper Z.)

CONCERNING THE IMPORTS OF THE UnITED StATES.

This part of the national bufinefs has given rife
to doubts, whether the United States are really in a
profperous fituation. The apprehenfion is believ-
ed, however, to have proceeded from feveral errors.
The eftimation of the imports has probably been
made from the prices current in America, which are
more than the United States pay for them, by the to-
tal value of the following particulars, ift. Such part
of the (hipping charges abroad, as accrue to the be-
nefit of the citizens of the United States, who may
be on the fpot to make the fhipment: 2diy, that
part of the freight upon them, which is earned by
our own veffels : 3dly, that part of the premium of
infurance upon them, which is paid to American
underwriters or infurers : 4thly, the whole amount
of the duties, and cuftom houfe fees, on the goods>
-which amount to feveral millions of dollars : 5thly,

332

the amount of the tonnage and fees on foreign vef-
fels, which are deductions in favour of the country
from the value of the goods imported in them :
6thly, the porterage, ftoreage, cooperage, weighing^
guaging, meafuring, commiffions on fales here and
other incidental expences on that part of the imports
which belongs to foreigners : 7thiy, the prohts of
our merchants on that part of the imports which
belongs to them : 8thly, the wafteage of goods
belonging to foreigners between their arrival or time
of valuation and the time of falc : gthly, the bene-
fit of credit which is not lefs than two and an half
per cent, on the whole value of our imports : and
lothly, the value of thofe imported goods which re-
main in the country, being the property of perfons
intending to become, or who will ultimately be-
come citizens of the United States. But the appa-
rent or conje6lural difproportion between the ex-
port's and imports of the United States, will be con-
fiderably diminifhed by the fales of vefTels to fo-
reigners at home and abroad — the fales of lands to
them — the expences of foreigners here — the expen-
ces of foreign vefTels here, and the coft of their fea-
ftores — the commiffions on the fhipments of their
cargoes, and on the difburfements of their vellels,
as already obferved in treating of our exports.
Befides thefe, the freight of goods fhipped to foreign
countries in our own veflels, (not lefs probably
than three millions of dollars) and the profits upon
all the goods exported on the account of our own
citizens, contribute very much to increafe the fund,
wherewith our imports are purchafed or paid for.
An eftimate, which fhall comprehend all thefe

333

items at their true value, is neceflary to form a fatis-
fa6lory opinion of the balance on our trade. From
fuch an eftimation (which has been made) there
would refult no reafon to doubt our profperity ;
nor will this appear queftionable, when it is remem-
bered, that the outward freights in our veHels, and
the duties on goods imported, amount together to
6,400,000 dollars, which is more than one third of
our exports. The balance of trade has been aptly
denominated the metaphyjics of commerce. To de-
termine it with indifputable certainty requires as ac-
curate and elaborate an inveftigation as a great rae-
taphyfical queftion : and though thisafTertion proves
nothing, it will infpire us with due caution againft
haftily adopting unfavourable conclufions.

An opinion fomewhat fingular and of confider-
able importance will be hazarded upon this fubjeft.
The United States, to make the utmojl advantage of
things in their prefent improvable fituation, fhould
have little or no balance in their favour on their ge^
neral commerce. If their exports, outward freights,
fales of veffels and lands. Sec. amount to twenty-
four millions of dollars per annum, they will find
their true intereft in importing the whole value in
well feleQed commodities. It is better for exam-
ple, that they import molaffes, hemp, cotton, wool,
bar iron, hides, (kins, furs, falt-petrc, fulphur, cop-
per, tin, brafs, paper, mahogany, &c. to manufac-
ture ; tools for artizans, and materials and utenfils
for conftruQing works, improving wade lands, and
cultivating farms, and breeding-cattle, horfcs, and

334

Iheep ; than that they fliould bring back the equi-
valent in gold or filvcr. The fum we annually
import in articles of that nature, more precious to
us than the mofl: precious metals, would conftitute
an immenfe balance in our favour : fuch, indeed,
as would, in a few years, opprefs our country with
too copious a circulating medium, or compel us to
export it.

That the exports and other means of paying for
our imports are much more adequate to the occafi-
on, than they were during feveral years fubfequent
to the peace, is manifeft from the ftate of our pri-
vate credit in Europe.

Adiftinftion, and it is conceived, a very import-
ant one, has been already intimated in favour of
fuch of our imports as are of a nature adapted to
enhance the value of our lands, or to employ or
aflifl our citizens : and in regard to thofe which are
for immediate confumption, the quantity cannot be
in proportion to our former imports, confidering
the increafe of population. Wc have aftually
almofl ceafed to import flioes, boots, fadiery,
coarfe hats, plate, fnufF, manufadured tobacco,
cabinet wares, carriages, wool and cotton cards^
hanging paper, gunpowder, and other articles ;
and we have exceedingly diminifhed our importa-
tion of coarfe linen and woolen goods, cordage,
copper utenfils, tin utenfils, malt liquors, loaf fu-
gar, fteel, paper, playing cards, glue, wafers, fine
hats, braziery, watches and clocks, cheefe, &c :

335

and we either make thefe articles from native pro-
du6lions, by which the whole value is ftruck off
from our imports, or we manufa6lure them of fo-
reign raw materials, which coll lefs than the goods
ufed to do, efpecially as they often yield a great
freight to our own veflels. Thus the freight of the
molaffes to make rum, imported in one year, at
two dollars per hhd. was not lefs than 140,000 dol-
lars. The fame obfervation occurs as to hemp,
cotton, iron, copper, brafs, tin, faltpetre, fulphur,
mahogany, hides, dye woods, and other raw mate-
rials.

From thefe circumftantial evidences, therewould
appear to be little danger of miftake, in conclud-
ing, that our imports, on a medium of two or
three years, have not been difproportinate to
our exports, and other fafe and regular means
of balancing the amount of our fupplies. But
though the documents for a comparifon between
the prefent imports, and thofe antecedent to the
revolution, are lefs perfe6l than is to be defired,
fome which offer are worthy of attention. Our
imports from Great-Britain in 1770, making fome
addition for thofe from Ireland and adding 20 per
cent, to bring them to their market value, were
worth here above £". 2,400,000 Iterling. In this
item, the information obtained from a report of
the lords of the Britifli privy council, is principal-
ly relied on, though a part of it is fupplementary
eftimation. To this fum is to be added, a propor-
tion of the imports into all the American colonies

33^

in 1770, from all the reft of the world, but Great-
Britain, which, after deducing therefrom /^. 73,000
fterling for the value imported into Bermuda, the
Bahamas, the northern Britifii colonies, and New-
foundland, leaves^ 1,050,000 fter. for the value here
of this part of our former imports. The total value
of our imports in 1770, would then appear to have
been more than /^. 3,450,000 or about 15,000,000
dollars, as they would have fold in the American
market, exclufive of the contraband trade, which
was confiderable. This will be feen by a reference
to the firft number of thefe reflexions, to be full
feven millions of dollars more than our exports at
the fame time. If then our imports were to bear
the fame proportion to 18,250,000 dollars (our pre-
fent exports) the former might be above 34,000,000
dollars, without creating more alarm than we had
then reafon to feel. This view of the fubjeft may
convince us, that our imports were too copious, at
leaft in fome quarters, for feveral years before the
war; and hence we find a heavy load of private
debt was created and remains upon the citizens of
fome of the ftates at this day. Happily for the
United States, the redu6lion of the prices of fup-
plies, by the prefent freedom of their commerce,
by the agency of merchants of credit inftead of
planters inexperienced in trade, by the intro-
du6lion of machinery in Europe, and by their own
manufacturing induftry, has kept down their im-
ports many millions of dollars below that fum, al-
though the impoft and tonnage have dire6lly or indi-
xediy contributed to enhance the nominal amount

337

without increafing the fum to be paid for them
abroad*.

A SKETCH OF THE GENERAL TRADE OF THE UnITED StATES*

In taking a furvey of the American commerce,
the attention is pleafingly attracted to the increafe
of fhip-building, to the new manuFaftories of arti-
cles necefTary to the equipment of veflels, and to
the improvement in the art of fliip-building, as
weW as the fuperior quality of the materials now
U u

* There is a faft, which afFefts our imports in a manner pe-
cnh'arly favourable to the United States. Many of the imported
articles are not requifite for dally or annual perfonal confumption,
but for permanent landed improvement, and are added in the
courfe of our internal operations to the Jixed real propriety of the
country. Landed eftates in the towns and in the country being
no where improved to the utmoft point, and being in many place^
yet in a Hate of nature, a large proportion of the articles of im-
portation not only become at the inftant of ufe, a permanent pro-
perty, but indeed give life and produftivenefs to other property,
which the moment before, was an inaftive and fruitlefs poffeffioo.

For inftance — In 1786 feveral millions of acres, ceded by New-
York to MalFachufetts, yielded not one hundred dollars, nor were
there one hundred citizens of thefe ftates refident on them. Since
that time a very large value in nails, fpikes, hinges, locks, glafs,
paints and other imported articles have been converted (with the
aid of our own timber, ftone, and lime,) into houfes, barns, mills>
workfhops, places of public bufinefs, and of worfhip, &c. and
now conftitute real, Jixed, permanent and produSive property, while
the teas and fugars, the linens, woolens, and cottons, &c. import-
ed with them have been confumed or worn out. This is yet
more ftrongly exempli^ed in other parts of New- York and Penn-
fylvania.

338

ufed in their conflruftion. The largeft number of
veilbls built in any one year before the late war,
as far as it can be afcertained, was equal to 24,358
tons; and at leafl 32,000 tons of fuperior quality
were built in 1791. The timber and plank are
more chofen, and iron is more copioufly ufed at
this time, becaufe the veffels are not intended for
fale, and the praQice of ialting them, is becoming
very frequent. It is important, too, that the art
of fhip-building is diffufed more generally than any
other equally important one, which is carried on
within the United States. t

f The feveral capacities of the Baltic powers, as to the building
of fliips form an interefting objedl to Europe and America, and
are conceived to be as follow. The Swedes have plenty of fir,
which quickly decays, and is weak. Yet it is commonly ufed in
their trading veffels. Ships of war cannot be relied on, if built
of any thing but oak. Of the latter timber the Swedes have fomc
in Skone and Blekinge, but not enough for their navy. They
are faid to have purchafed of the King of Pruflla twice within a
dozen years, a great quantity of German oak : at one t'me 400,000
cubic feet, and at another 200,000 feet at the immenfe price of
5/iollerling per cubic foot delivered at Carlefcroon. American
live-oak is fold in Philadelphia,* after paying a freight from the
Carolinasand Georgia as I5d to i8d fterling per foot, and fouth-
crn red cedar at the fame prices : our common white-oak is 9d fter-
ling per foot. The Swedes raife flax but very little hemp, their
fupply of which they import from Riga, to make their cordage and
fail-cloth. This bulky article in time of war mull coft them high.
They have plenty of iron within themfelves.

The Danes import the mafts for their navy, flax and hemp from
Ruffia. 1 hey make only a part of their fail-cloth, and import

* A. D. 1789.

339

The export trade in our produce is more benefi-
cial than heretofore to the landed intereft, becaufe
the cultivators do not, as formerly, anticipate up-

tliat article both fi-om RufTia and Holland. They have little or.k
except in Holfteln, which is rcferved for emergencies. The great-
eft part of the oak timber for their nav)^, is purchafed by contravS:
from the king of Pruflia. Their merchant fhips, it is prefumed*
muft therefore be of fir, which with their iron they have from Nor-
way.

The R-ufilans have abundance of naval flores, flax, hemp, fail-
cloth, iron, mafls, fir timber and plank for home confumption and
exportation. Oak timber is not plenty in the vicinity of their Baltic
ports. At Archangel they have none. The oak timber for their
navy is faid to be brought by their canals and rivers 1200 miles
from their Tartarian kingdom of Cafan. A few fhips of war have
been built of fir and larch. The Ruflians have very few merchant
fhips. Out of every hundred entries in the feveral ports of St. Pe-
terfburg, Archangel, Wibourg, Revel, Narva, and Riga not more
than t'-joo are of their national flag. The Britifh and Dutch are
their carriers as far as two-thirds or three-fourths of the tonnage
employed.*

The dominions of the king of Pruffia are the bed magazine of
oal timber on the Baltic. Having, flax, hemp, timber and iron and
confiderable manufaftures of them, grain, cattle, coal, a fea-coail
more extenfive than the United Netherlands or RufTia (except-
ing the frozen coafts of Archangel) and being much nearer to the
European fifheries than the French and liritifh are to thofe on
our coafts, it will not be difficult for the Pruffian king to advance
his navigation and trade. Indeed his port and territory of Era-
den would enable him to profecute the fiflicries to advantage, as
alfo the Eaft-lndia trade. It is difficult however to judge of things
at fuch a diftance. The monopoly of European oak is thrown in a
greater degree into the hands of the king of PrufTia, by the laft
partition of the devoted territory of Poland.

* A. D. 1789.

340

on their crops abroad, by ordering out fupplies at
the difcretion of the European merchant, to be
paid for in (hipments of their ^rops upon their own
account and rifque. The planters in Maryland and
Virginia, particularly the tobacco planters, fufFer-
ed extremely from an inconfiderate purfuit of that
pra6lice before the revolution. The American
merchant is now more frequently their importer ;
and as he underftands the mode of procuring goods
cheap, the real profits of the import and export
trade of the country, are in a greater degree divi-
ded between the planter and the trader.

The reduQion of the prices of Eaft-India and
China goods, of every fpeeies of manufaQures in
which labour faving machinery and (light apply,
and of wines, occafion our imports to be obtained
on more favourable terms. This beneficial effeQ
is increafed by the freedom of our import trade,
which lets in the produdions and manufaBures of
all countries by a dired intercourfe with them,
which was formerly either circuitous or forbidden.
From the fame caufe, fuperior prices for our pro-
duce and manufactured articles have been obtain-
ed. If tobacco is becoming an exception, it is to
be remembered, that great prices were obtained
for it till lately, and that the extraordinary quanti-
ty raifed is fufiicient to account for its falL

The coafting trade has become very great, and
the derangement of the Weft-India trade muft
extend it exceedingly, during the current year.

34*

from the failure of molafles. The incrcafe of
manufaBures, and foreign refLrituons on other
branches of trade have contributed to elevate
this valuable part of our commerce ; and the
former (manufactures) will continue fteadily to
increafe the importance of the coafling bufinefs.
The veflels, which take fupplies of flour, and many-
other articles from the middle and northern dates
to South-Carolina and Georgia, make very fre-
quent voyages, and they return lefs than half la-
den : but if the planters fhould purfue the cultiva-
tion of hemp, flax, hops, and cotton, they may
comiC back with full cargoes. A limilar remark
may be juflly made in regard to the other ftates.

The fiflierics would appear not to have recover-
ed their former value; but it is plain, they have
increafed yearly fince 1789: and they are even
now more valuable than they appear to be. The
confumption of oil, whale-bone, {kins of fea ani-
mals, fpermaccti, and pickled and dried fifli, is much
greater in the United States at this time, than it
was twenty years ago. The outfits of the fifliing
veffels, too, are more from the induftry and refour-
ces of the country, than was formerly the cafe.
Wherefore the general benefits refulting from the
fifheries, are probably not lefs than before the re-
volution.

Remote as the United States are from all foreign
nations, totally unconne61ed with their politics,
and having no temptation to wage war for territo-

342

ry, they cannot but advance in commercial and
agricultural profpeiity, if they preferve order and
juftice at home. Foreign reliriftions will be necef-
farily lefs rigid, as occafions for fupplies and paci-
fic fervices from the United States fliall arife : and
thefe occafions muft inevitably exifl: in every mari-
time nation, which fiiall engage in war, even with
a country, which is not itfelf maritime.

The profecution of manufaclures has created
fome increafe of our foreign trade, and will ex-
tend it. If we did not purfue that branch of in-
duftry, v^e fhould not import copper, iron, and
hemp, from the Baltic ; cotton, faltpetre, raw filk,
and white callicoes from India; and cocoa, dye-
woods, mahogany, cotton, and hides from the
Wefl-Indies, and the fouthern parts of the Ameri-
can continent. Some of thefe importations are
regularly and extenfively made; others are increaf-
ing. Without them we fhould have no intercourfe
with fome of thefe countries, and much lefs than
we now have with others. In like manner, our
intercourfe with feveral countries is increafed by
manufaQured exports. The demand for our pot-
afh, diftilled fpirits, fhips and boats, malt liquors,
cheefe, bar iron, flit iron, (feel, gunpowder, carria-
ges, and other articles, occafions a greater and
more beneficial trade with many foreign ports. It
is impolTible to fay how rapid and how confidera-
ble the progrefs of this part of our commerce wiU
be. The exported manufactures of Great-Britain,

343

in 1791, were greater than thofe of fifty years ago,
by twice the value of our prefcnt exports.

t is extrem^y favourable to American com-
rce, internal and foreign, that a variety of chan-

I
merccj

ges have taken place in the affairs of the world,
which have opened branches of trade formerly with-
held from us by monopoly, or other circumftances.
The acl of feparation from Great-Britain enabled
us to trade to China, and other countries beyond
the cape of Good Hope, and the enterprife of our citi-
zens foon difcovered the way. The curious per-
feftion of manufafturing machinery in Europe has
made it the intereft of the foreign India companies
to fell us their piece goods in the markets of the eafl-,
without taking them at fecond hand.* The mif-
fortunes of St. Domingo have greatly increafed our.
commerce in indigo, and will have the fame effect
upon cotton, and they are impelling us rapidly into
an internal trade in native fpirits, which will of
courfe lead to external commerce of the fame kind.
This will appear to be a matter of great importance,
when it is remembered, that fince the late peace, the
foreign fpirits imported have in fome years been
equal in value to one-fifth of our exports! The
failure of fhip-timber, which begins to appear
every where in Europe, is enabling the United
States to carry on fliip-building upon very ad-

* It is underftood that the Britifh Eaft-Jndia company are likely
to be reftrained from importing into Britain feveral kinds of piece

344

vantagcoLis terms. The profitable eflablifliment of
fevera! banks of perfed credit with the niofl: wary
and judicious citizens and foreigners, is at once a
proof, and a great mean of commercial profperity.
Tlie growth of cities, towns, and manufaBures, has
given to the fiiberies a more fubftantial bafis in a
confiderable home demand, than they formerly
had in a foreign one. The banifhment of paper
tenders, and ex poll fa6lo laws, and the interdic-
tion of laws impairing the obligations of contrafts,
have placed our commerce upon a more honour-
able and folid footing, than, it ever was before.
The mint, the laws regulating feamen and the
fifheries, the appreciation of the public debt, the
fpirit of improvement* on roads, rivers, and ca-
nals, the difcovery of coal near navigable water,
the continual extenfions of the poll-office, the
conltant increafe of light houfes on the coafts, the
introduftion of auxiliary arts, and above all, the
frogrefs of agricultuhy have given facilities, {labi-
lity, and extenfion to our trade, which, were un-
known before the revolution, and which in the
difirefsful derangements of 1786 and 1787, ap-
peared beyond the bounds of reafonable expec-
tation.

.^- ■■

* One million and one hundred thoufand dollars were fubfcrlb-
ed in a iingle feafon to objeds of this nature in Pennfylvanza
alone.

345

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES CONSIDER-
ED AS A PART OF THE INSTRUMENTS OF NATIONAL DE-
FENCE.

The accurate eftimation of every fubdivifion of
the induftry and wealth of nations Ihould occupy
the unremitted attention of the political obferver*
A diligent enquiry after the fa6ls, which appear-
tain to a fubje6t, never fails to adminifter the mod
ufeful aid to the candid inveftigator : and it fome-
times happens, that the fimple adduftion of thefe,
affords unqueftionable proofs of great benefits or
injury, in cafes, wherein the general affertions and
reafonings offered, are fuppofed to be mere fug-
geftions of felf-interefl or local prejudice. The
fifheries, it is believed, would prove, on a tho-
rough examination, to be an inftance of this na-
ture. The following ftatement of fome recorded
fa6ls, will be found to warrant ftrong prefumptions,
that their intrinfic value has been hitherto un-
known.

It is generally underflood, that the fifheries of
the late American provinces were principally car-
ried on by the people of MafTachufetts and that
fuch is the cafe now, is well afcertained by the re-
turns and reports which have been promulgated by
the federal government. It is alfo generally
known, that the fifheries conftituted by much the
greateft part of the external commerce of that ftate,
and it will be readily admitted, that whatever was
done by its vefTels and fearaen Ihould be principal*

346

\y afcribed to its fifliing veflels and fifliing men.
By an examination of the records of the three
counties of Suffolk, Ellex, and Middlefex, (which
comprife the ports of Bolton, Salem, Beverly,
Newbury-port, Marble-head, Gloucefter, Haver-
hill and Ipfwich) it appears that there were taken*
brought in, and libelled in the maritime court of
thofe three couniies,during the lafl: war, 1095 v.ef-
fels with their cargoes, and thirteen cargoes, (which
had been taken from veffels probably unloaded at
fea, and abandoned after capture) making in the
whole 1108. It has been ftated by a Britifh pre-
mier in his place in their parliament, that the num-
ber of veffels belonging to Great-Britain in 1774,
was 6219 fail, of which 3908 were Britiffi built,
and 2311 American built. What havoc then does
it appear, that thefe fiffiermen made among the
Britifh merchantmen ? above a hxth of all their
veffels were brought by thefe people, as prizes in-
to the markets of the United States, with cagoes
to an immenfe amount, compofed of every fpeices
of military and domeflic fupply in a feafon of the
utmoft emergency. It appears too, that thefe pri-
zes were no lefs than two (evenths of all the Britifh
built (hips of that nation. But the enquiry goes
further. The opinions of the mofl candid and befl
informed eflimators, founded on careful enquiry,
countenance the prefumption, that fifty-five per
cent, of all the veflels captured by the people of
Maffachufetts, during the war, were retaken before
arrival; fo that there is the utmoll probability, that
the whole number of veffels, which were captured

347

by the (hipping of thcfe three counties, was 2450
fail. How great a derangement was this to the Bri-
tifh commerce and how heavy muft have been th^
expence of the falvage paid to the re-captors ? How
great the number of marine prifoners ? How feri-
pus the interruption to the manning of their navy ?

The operations, here fpoken of, were confined
to what is termed in Madachufetts the middle dif-
tri6l. The captures in the eadern and louthern
diflrifts were much lefs confiderable, but they are
not afcertained at this time. It is computed that
they amounted to at leafl five hundred and fifty
fail, fo that it fliould appear, that the armed ve(Te)s
of our principal fifhing (late, captured in the
courfe of the late war, near one half of the
merchant fhips, ordinarily belonging to Great-
Britain, and above three-fourths of the number
of her native built veflels. The fubje8: admits
of one more fuggeftion. It is highly probable,
that many captured vefTels, and cargoes of vef-
fels taken and abandoned at fea, were carried into
the ports of powers, who were in alliance with the
United States, which did not appear on the records
of the Maffachufetts courts. The vefTels of the
other fifhing flates were remarkably fuccefsful iii
their operations againfl the Britifh merchant fhips;
and in fhort, the American fifliermen, wherever
bred, operated in their own element, againfl the
commerce of Great-Britain, with a deflru8ive
aftivity, vigilance, and efficiency.

348

There exifts a proof of the extraordinary impref-
fion made by the vefTels of the United States on
the Britifli navigation at that time, which cannot
be miftaken. This is to b-e drawn from the rates
of infurance on unarmed vefTels, which \vere more
exceffive, than in any war of Great-Britain for fifty
years pad, although naother maritime nation, with
whom they have contended during that time, has
been fo deficient in public fhips.

The fifhing trade of the United States, is render-
ed peculiarly important, as a means of defence or
of annoying the commerce of hoftile nations, from
the circumftance of our not having yet adopted a
naval eftablifhment. The filhermen, while that
continues to be the cafe, muft be tranfmuted by
war, as quickly as by a charm, into a corps of pri-
vateers-men and their fhips into private vefTels of
war; becaufe, the navy of any hoflile foreign na-
tion will fufpend the fifheries as long as we remain
without a naval force. They are therefore, not
only a means of offence and defence, prepared to
our hands, like the fifhermen of other nations, but
in our peculiar fituation, they will be driven, by
imperious necefTity, to live on the fpoils of the com-
merce of our enemies.

349

SECTION IV.
CONCERNING THE BANKS ESTABLISHED IN THE UnITED StATES,

THESE valuable inftitutions were unknown to
us before the revolution, being added to the politi-
cal economy in the latter part of the war. The pa-
per emiflions in the times of the provinces, had
yielded fome of the advantages of bank notes,
though with lefs fafety tothofe who received them.
But the degree in which they were unavoidably re-
curred to, in the courle of the war, had completely
deftroyed the utility of paper money in 1781. The
ftate of public credit, and indeed of the public af-
fairs in general, as well as the exigencies of the
cultivators, merchants and manufa6lurers, required
an efficient fubftitute for an inftrument of negocia-
tion and dealing, of fo great compafs. The fcheme
of a bank was prefented in the manner, which is
univerfally known, as the mod probable mean of
accommodating the general neceffities, political,
agricultural, and commercial. The promifes which
the plan made were abundantly fulfilled; and at
the fame time a ftandard of public conduB; and ac-
tion in regard to the rights of property, was unob-
fervedly erefted, at a moment v/hen the recent
courfe of events had rendered it very defireable, as
well from political as moral confiderations. It has
been found, accordingly, that the laws which con-
cern property, in the places where banks have been
eftablifhed, have quickly acquired a (lability, if they

were good, and have meliorated, if they were be-
fore exceptionable, notwithftanding any fuppofed
or real errors in the plans or adminiftration of the
inflitutions.

In refle61ing upon thefe eftablifliments, one can-
not but call to mind a iuggedion, which frequently
occurs, that too large a portion of the capital of
the United States, has been applied to them. Few
pecuniary operations are of as much importance.
In eftimating the extent to which we might have
gone with prudence, an examination of the ftate of
thatbufinefs in a fuccefsful and at the fame time
the beft known fcene of trade in Europe, may be
of fome ufe. In the citv of London, the bank of
England (excluuvely of that of Scotland) has ope-
rated with a capital of more than fifty millions of
dollars about forty-fix years. The population of
England^ on a medium, during that term, has been
\th than double that of the United States at pre-
fent, yet the capital of its bank has been above
five times the capital of our national bank, and near
five times the amount of all the fubfcriptions which
are yel* paid into all the banks in the United
States. There, are, moreover a great number of
private banks in the fame city, probably not lefs
than fixty in number, fome of which have more
capital Hock, than any bank in this country, ex-
cept that of the United States. The aggregate
amount of their capitals is probably equal to that

A. D. 1791.

351

of the bank of England. Befides thefe, there arc
very many confiderable private banks fcattered
through the kingdom. In addition to thofe,
there are the public and the private banks of
Scotland. If the banks of England and Scot-
land, public and private, out of London, be equal
to the private banks of London alone, then the
capital of thofe inftitutions in Great-Britain will
be 150,000,000 dollars, or above fourteen times
as many dollars as there are perfons in that king-
dom, though the whole of the {locks of the bank of
the United States, which is paid in, is not equal to
three times the number of their inhabitants. Again:
if the banks of Great-Britain be meafured by the
exports of that ifland, it will be found, that the lat-
ter, at their higheft value (90,000,000 of dollars)
are only three-fifths of their aggregate bank capital,
and that our exports, at 18,250,000 dollars, are
above two-thirds more than all our bank capital,
which is aftually paid in. Taking the Britifh im-
ports at 80,000,000 of dollars, and thofe of the
United States at 24,000,000, the comparifon will
be ftill more in favour of the difcretion, which has
been obferved in the United States. But a very
important meafure of thefe inftitutions yet remains
to be applied, by which prudent men will be moft
difpofedto teft the fubje6\ — the ordinary quantity of
fpecie. The bank capital of Great-Britain being,
as above ftated, about 150,000,000 of dollars, and
the quantum of fpecie being never eftimated at
more than 22,000,000!. fterling, or 97,700,000 dol-
lars, the aggregate bank capitals of the United

352

States, as now paid in (ten and one half millions
of dollars) would be as prudently, and folidly
founded on a quantity of fpecie a little Icfs than
7,000,000 of dollars. Although it would be impof-
fible to afcertain the precife amount df the fpecie
of the United States, 'ellimates carefully made, ap-
pear to warrant a belief, that it is equal to that
ium. But while examinations like thefe feem to
abate and even entirely to deftroy, the apprehen-
fion, that we may have purfued the bufinefs of
banking to the injury of agriculture, manufaQures,
and commerce,^ fome circumflances of a prudential
nature are not to be overlooked. When forming
thefe eftablifliments, we may commit errors, per-
haps, in carrying into one fcene too great a pro-
portion of the capital appropriated to their crea-
tion. Hence the found policy of fubtrafting from
the mafs of the bank of the United States, to ef\a-
blifh branches at New-York, Boflon, Baltimore,
Charletton and (as is faid to be intended) in Virgi-
nia, miniilering to the convenience, the neceffities,
and the interefls of government, the planter, the
farmer, the merchant, the navigator, the fifherman,
the fiiip-builder, the manufaQurer, and the mecha-
nic, in fix feveral and variant fcenes, inflead of ac-
cumulating in one great mafs a fuperabundant ca-
pital*.

* It ought to dimlnifh the political jealoufies in regard to the
national bank, that feveral ftate banks were eftablifhed before it,
and feveral fince, which are aggregately of greater force of capital
than the bank of the United States.

353

It is pofTible to err, too, in the difpoution of
banking eflablifiiments, by fuperadding to thofe
which already accommodate any particular fccne,
rather than introducing the new inftiutions into pla-
ces hitherto without them. The United States
contain five or fix great local fubdivifions of trade,
refulting principally from the imperious didates of
the nature of things. In moft of thofe great fpheres,
there is more than one confiderable and flourifn-
ing trading town, though there is in each, one
which has an acknowledged pre-eminence. When a
reafonable portion of bank capital has been intro-
duced into one of thefe commercial mctropolieSy the
eftablifiiment of a new bank would feem to be mofl:
expedient in the trading town of the next degree
of confideration. It is true, that fo far as the ope-
ration is an employment, or application of the pro-
perty of individuals, it mufl be left, (within the
laws] to their own will ; but as the a6l of incorpo-
ration place the fubjeft within the power of the
legiflatures, and within the bounds of their cares
and duties, fo it is highly important that thefe in-
ftitutions fhould be modified in their original forma
tion, upon principles of diftributive juftice in regard
to the reafonable accommodation of the marts of
commerce, within their fpheres of legiflation, and
of ail the landed citizens, who refort to them for
the fales of their furplus produce, or the purchafe
of their fupplies.

A pleafing confequence has refulted from the
diftribution of banks through different parts of the

354

United States. Like all great objefts, thefe infti,
tutions, while operating very beneficially in regard
to the bufinefs of a coutry, are liable to be render-
ed inftrumental to local party views. Being com-
mitted, as in the United States, to many feparate
boards of direftors, felefted for the fervice on ac-
count of their property, integrity, talents, and at-
tention to bufinefs, and whofe primary duties are
the legal, difcreet, and beneficial execution of
their trufl, it is not very probable, that they will
deviate, in a dangerous degree, from their proper
walk, into the ground of political combination and
intrigue.

A circumftance obfervable in the bank of the
United States,* will not fail to attraft the attention
of cautious men. The portion of public debt, which
enters into the compofition of their ftock, is the
particular contemplated. In this refpeft, the bank
of England, and the bank of Ireland (which are
among the beft accredited of thofe inftitutions in
Europe) exceed that of the United States in the
proportion of one third. It is very favourable to
our inftitution, that the national debt, and ordinary
and extraordinary expences of the United States
are much lefs in proportion to wealth and numbers
than thofe of Great-Britain and Ireland, and that
our government is not lefs free from error, nor
more like to be difturbed than theirs. It cannot,
therefore, be more unfafe to confide in our inftitu-
tion, which contains three-fourths, than in theirs

* Alfo in the Bank of Pennfyh'ania. A. D. 1793.

355

which is wholly compofed of public debt. It is,
moreover, true, and worthy of obfervation, that
moft of the other banks in the United States (and
particularly the three largeftjhave, voluntarily and
by their own operations, placed confiderable por-
tions of their (lock. upon the credit of the United
States, by purchafing largely of the public debt,
and by giving at this time extenfive credits found-
ed upon its fecurity. The market value of the
public debt, which if Europe were at peace would
be generally greater in fpecie than its nominal
amount, renders that part of the bank ftock, which
is compofed of it, intrinfically more valuable than
that, which is in coin.

CONCERNING THE NATIONAL INDUSt^RY.

An enquiry into the knowledge or (kill, afliduity,
economy, or frugality, and good management, with
which the feveral defcriptions of citizens in the
United States purfue their employments, has never
yet been made. The fubjeQ is copious, and would
require much previous enquiry and detail. It is
not intended, therefore, in this place to attempt a
developement of it ; yet it may be ferviceable to
beftow upon it a few brief reflexions. The learned
profeflions will not be brought into view, as they
are not ftri6lly of the nature of the obje6l contem-
plated. The planters, the farmers, the merchants,
the navigators, the fifliermen, the fliipbuilders, the
manufafturers and the mechanics, with the perfons
immediately employed by them, are all which are
conceived to be comprehended in the fubjed. The

35^

bdy oF the planters, that is, thofe who cultivate
tobacco, rice, indigo, and cotton, are, as a delcrip-
tion of cultivators, the belt informed perhaps in re-
gard to the objects of their particular purfuit, though
it is nianifelt, that they have abundant matter for in-
crcaft'd attention in perfeding their cultivation, in
afcertaining thofe fpecies of their valuable plants,
which are moil excellent, mod certain, and moft
productive, in the improvement of their implements
of hulbandry, in the acquifition of auxiliary imple-
ments and machinery, in perfeQing the modes of
curing their produce, and preparing it for market,
and particularly in the attainment of adequate fub-
ftitutes for the ordinary fpecies of labourers, a fup-
ply of which has become improbable. It appears
to be worth their confidering, too, as well with an
eye to profit, as humanity, whether an advantage-
ous variation in the employment of fome of the
blacks might not be made, by introducing upon
every eliate fome of the fimpler manufaBures to
em.ploy children, old and invalid perfons of both
fexes, and particularly the females during thofe
frequent terms, when two lives depend upon their
health.

The merchants, navigators, fifhermen, and fhip-
builders of the United States may be fafely affirm-
ed to be fourdefcriptions of our citizens, whofe in-
dud ry is as uniformly energetic and well direBed,
as thofe of any country in the world, though it is
certain, that a much ftriBer economy prevailsamong
perfons of fome foreign nations engaged in thofe

357

piirfuits — an example deferving the moft ferious
attention.

The manufa8:urers,inrome branches, purfue their
occupations under the difadvantages ot' very fev/
errors; yet thofe citizens would be fenhbly bene-
fited, were they able to relieve themfelves of cer-
tain parts of their labour by the attainment of the
auxiliary machinery, which is the purchafe of
larger capitals, than are yet engaged in their line.
Circumftances, however, of various kinds are dai-
ly contributing to remove this inconvenience. The
bulk of the manufacturers do not want induftry, nor
flcill enough to fucceed in thofe fimple manufac-
tures, to which it is molt their intereft to apply
themfelves. It may be rather faid, that they ma-
nufaQure ordinary kinds of fabrics, from the na-
ture of the demand, than that they manufaBure
badly. Their bufinefs is, moreover, progrefiively
advancing, and has felt, on feveral occafipns, fomc
of them recent, the foftering hand of government.

The mechanic branches have been, till this time,
on nearly as goo'd a footing ; but thofe employed in
the erection of buildings ought now to feek the
aid of fuch parts of fcicnce as have relation to their
calling. Rural and city architeC^ture has been too
little iiudied. It ought not to be forgotten, that a
competent knowledge of it is no lefs conducive to
economy andcGnV€7ii(:nce, than to elegance and fi)len-
dor.

358

The molt important of all the employments of
our citizens, that of the farmer^ remains to be no-
ticed. It is very much to be feared, that in point of
execution, a candid examination would prove that
this beft of purfuits is mod imperfe6lly conduced.
The proofs are, innumerable inftances of impove-
rifhed lands, precious bodies of meadow lands, in
the old fettlements of fome of the ftates, which re-
main in a ftate of nature, a frequent inattention to
the making or preferving of manure, as frequent in-
attention to the condition of the feed grain, evidenc-
ed by the growth of inferior grain in fields of wheat,
and by the complexion of the flour in fome quarters,
the bad condition o^harns, ftables and fences, and
in fome places the total want of the former, the defi-
ciency of fpring-houfes or other cool dairies in ex-
tenfive traQs of country, the want of a trifling
ftock of bees, the frequent want of orchards, and
the negVeft of thofe which have been planted by
preceding occupants, the negleft of the fugar tree>
the negle6l of fallen timber and fuel, accompanied
with the extravagant felling of timber trees for fu-
el, the negle6lof houfehold manufaQures in many
families, the negleft of making pot-afh, the non-ufe
of oxen, and above all, the growth in fubftance, of
large bodies of farmers on lands of an ordinary qua-
ty, while the inhabitants of extcnfive fcenes, hard-
ly extra^i from much fuperior lands, fuftenance
and clothing.

359

It is a hGt very painful to obferve, and unpleafant
to reprefent, but it is indubitably true, ih^i farming
in the grain ftates, their great bell buQneis, the em-
ployment mod precious in free governments, is,
too generally fpeaking, the lead underdood, or
the leaft economically and attentively purfucd, of
any of the occupations which engage the citizens
of the United States. It is acknowledged, how-
ever with fatisfaQion, that great changes have been
lately made, and that the energy, fpirit of improve-
ment, and economy, which have been recently
difplayed, promife the regular and rapid melioration
of the agricultural fyftem. All other things have
taken a courfe of great improvement — and it can-
not be apprehended that the yeomanry of the
United States will permit themfelves to be exceeded
by any of their brethren, in the moft valuable
charafteriflic of good citizens — nfe/ulnefs in their'
proper fphere.

CONCERNING THE LAWS WHICH INTRENCH UPON THE RIGHTS
OF PROPERTY.

It is not remembered, that the a61s of the national
legiflature have been deemed by any of the podef-
fors of any defcription of property, unfavourable
to their rights, except the proceedings in regard to
the public debt. It is not lefs curious than true,
thata part of the community affirm, that the govern-
ment have injured the country by too much libera-
lity, while another part charge the legiflature with
impairing the contra^.

360

In taking a view of this fubjeB, it fhould be
remembered, that the flate of things, when it was
taken up, was in every refped critical and uncer-
tain. It was difficult to fay what the country could
perform, and more fo to tell what they would com-
ply with. It was perceived, on the one hand, that
as fuch a ftate of public credit as preceded the year
1789, would ruin a government more energetic
than that of the United States, fo its immediate
melioration was a matter of the mofl imperious ne-
ceffity. On the other hand, the non-exiftence of
one fingle efficient f) flem, yielding an equitable
fpecie inter t fly in any one ftate, and a number of pain-
ful fads in the financial operations of fome of the le-
giOatures, created a convi6lion, that there was either
an inability or difinclination in all to render a fpecie
payment in the full extent of the explicit contrafts.
Some of the contrads were found not to be expli-
cit, containing promifes of large fums under the
name fpecie, which it could not have been the ex-
pectation of the government, at their date, to dif-
charge, or of the creditor to recieve, in coin ; be-
caufe they promifed to pay as fpecie, what was no-
torioufly much lefs valuable, than contrafts previ-
bully liquidated at forty nominal dollars for one in
real money. The interefting claims of the origi-
nal creditors alfo, wereftrongly reprefented, while
the condu6l of every {late in the union, in its par-
ticular finances, had difcountenanced a difcrimina-
tion in their favour; and the exifting laws of pro-
perty were urged againft a redu61ion of the laft
owner's principal ; queftions were alfo raifed about

361

the original intrinfic value of the money and pro-
perty received in many cafes by the United States,
leading to the ordaining of a new fcale of deprecia-
tion. By infufing into the propofition for a fettle-
ment of the debt, two qualities — a rtfluciion of the
interejl and a temporary irrcdeemahiliiy of the prin-
cipal, which have cod the debtor nothing, and the
creditor very little ; by vigorous and well devifed
efforts to recover credit at home and abroad, an
arrangement was formed, and executed, which has
given better payment to the creditor than could
reafonably have been hoped. It is plain to evtry
obfcrver, that, but for the indiforetions of fume of
the public creditors, who fuperadded to the trials
and fluftuations of a convalefcent ftate of credit
the late unparalleled difficulties of the holders of
the ftock, the three fpecies of the public paper, ta-
ken at a medium, would have been worth the no-
minal value in the market. Hitherto that has never
been the caje.

There yet remain, however, in the United
States fome laws which affe6l the rights of proper-
ty. The operation of inftalment* and valuation
laws is not terminated in one or two of the ftates.
In one or two others, paper money is a tender for
old debts. In one quarter, real eltate is proteBed
as in Great. Britain from execution for debt; and
in others, the judgments of the courts are fufpend-
ed, if the income of the eflate bears a certain pro-

Z z

* A. D. 1792.

362

portion to the creditors' demand.* In fome of the
dates, preferences are given to the claims of citi-
zens, before thoie of citizens of the other flates,
or of foreigners ; and ills exift in the form of in-
folvent laws. The federal conftitution, and thofe
of feveral of the dates, have barred the introduc-
tion of thefe evils in regard to new tranfaQions ;
and the flates which are not chargeable with them,
in regard to paft affairs, have reaped, in the lalt
three years an ample reward for their wifdom and
virtue. Property may almofl ^be called the falladi-
um of communities. Their moral fafety at leaft is
always at hazard, when that is unwarrantably in-
vaded. In, every cafe wherein difliculties to ob-
tain his own are interpofed in the way of the hon-
ed and indudrious citizen, his lofs is not all the pub-
lic injury. A fellow citizen — perhaps a member
of a legiflature (and through him a legiflature it-
felf) is fatally corrupted.

CONCERNING THE PUBLIC DEBTS,

When it is remembered, that the terms upon
which the debts of the dates were affumed by con-
grefs, are not more favourable than thofe on which
the federal debt was funded, and when it is called to
mind, that the unaffumed debts of all the dates are

* The mortgage law of Pennfylvania, and fome other dates,
which exclude **^ the equity of redemption" create, on the whole,
a more favourable ground for the rights of property in thofe pla-
ces, than in Great-Britain. Thofe States are the moil flourifhin?;^
in the union.

3^3

lefs valuable in the market than thofe, which were
aflbmed, it will appear, that the public creditors of
the union have little reafon to complain. When the
advantages of the temporary iredeemability, and of
the opportunity of inveftment in the bank are recoU
leded, that little reafon, if any exifted, appears to be
diffipated. On the other hand, when it is remember-
ed, that long after the promulgation of the fund-
ing fyftem and of the bank, the pofleflors of fpecie
might have procured certificates upon very advan-
tageous terms, and that many, who fold after thofe
promulgations wanted confidence enough to hold,
that United States draw a fhare of the profits of the
the bank without furniftiing any of the capital, that
the grantof irredeemabilityis temporary y2iX\6. fo per-
feftly nominal^ that we have now a right to pay ofF
more than we have money to difcharge; when it is
alfo borne in mind, that the terms given by con-
grefs to the public creditors, were exceeded (by
law at leaft) in feveral of the ftates, and that two
of them have added to the benefits of their citizens
from the funding fyftem, without difcriminating in
favour of the original creditor, or againjl the pre-
Jent holder, the arrangements of the general govern-
ment appear to be confijlent with the public interejls
and with the wifdom of the Jiate legifatures them^
[elves. If the funding fyftem of congrefs has been
thus equally jujl and beneficial with thofe of the
ftateSy it has been accompanied with many advan-
tages which cannot be queftioned. Public credit
is reftored — in confequence of that, the contrails
for all public fiipplies are made for cafli on the de-

3^4

liveries or performance — the money, thus early
promifed, is paid by anticipation on the proffer of
indubitable fecurity by the various contraQors .
and intereft in favour of the United States has
been allowed for the promtitude of her treafury —
500,000 dollars of fpecie claims have been difcharg-
cd; and purchafes of the public debt, which bring the
extinguifhed fum to about 2,400,000 dollars,* have
been made, or provided for — a feries of paynpents
fince the month of September (required by the moft
diliinguifhed ally of the United States, in the late
war) has been made to ferve the occafions of
their unhappy colonifts. Loans upon five per cent,
upon four and a half per cent, and upon four per
cent, intereft, have been efFefted in two opulent
cities of Europe, lolcly by means of our reftored
credit, to repay in the hour of need, to that ally
the monies lent to the United States in a like fea.
fon. All that is due has been paid, part of that
which is not yet due has been anticipated. Monies
anxioufly defired by France, have been difcharged
bv mean of loans at a lower intereft. Both nations
are benefited and pleafed; but our country is ho-
noured by the tranfaQion. To have negle6led our
public credit, would have been to lofe thefe ad-
vantages.

It will not be queftioned, that there is in every
walkof lifeor bufinefsa greater proportion of money
than was obfervable two years ago. Public works

* A. D. 1791.

3^5

and buildings of every kind, and of fpecies and va-
lues unknown among us till the prei'ent time, are
undertaking every where. Private buildings, of
equal variety, snd comparative value, are fpring-
ini^ up. The price of lands is greatly advanced.
The raw materials, though raifed in much greater
abundance, fell for larger prices. To what pecu-
niary caufe fo powerful, fo adequate, can thefe
things be afcribed, as to the fales of part and re-
animation of the whole, of a public debt, ten times
larger than the amount of all the fpecie ordinarily
circulating in th? country ? It ought to be admit-
ted hov^ever that the [own^ Jlamina of this country,
and our voluntarily impoling upon ourfelves the
wholelome reilraints of juft government have moft
powerfully co-operated.

The relief of fome of the dates from all their
burdens, has been another beneficial confequence
of the funding of the debt. It is but a few years
fince one of the mod frugal, vigorous, and produc-
tive counties in Pennfylvania rofe againft the col-
leQors of the taxes. The appreciation and fale of
the immenfe mafs or federal fecurities, owned by
that ftate, with the proceeds of her funds have en-
abled her to difcharge all her obligations, though
fhe has abolifhed her general land tax, and difcon-
tinued her excife, both of which flie has colieQed
for forty years.

Some anxiety has been created by the fhare of
our debt, which foreigners have obtained. But
this was a powerful means of bringing the whole

366

into its prefent beneficial a8.ion, by elevating its
attual to its nominal value. It is not at all proba-
ble, that it will be drawn from the country. It has
been ohfervcd, in the mod tranquil and profper-
ons condition oF Europe, that a great proportion
oF tlie faiuiiies of thofe foreigners, who have made
large invedmejits in the United States, either in
the times of the provinces, or fince the revolution,
have become inhabitants^)f this country, even
Avhen iirit5 unproduS.ive it^.fant ftate. At this fe-
rious moment, when^lmod every tranfatlantic
country feels or apprehends diforders, our chances
are inhnitely increafed. The United States, ad-
vanced in the means of fubfutence, of comfort, and
of- elegance, now prefent to them an obje6l of
greater dcftre in a tranquil liberty, which they are
Itruggling to obt.iin, a teeming agriculture, and a
profperous commerce, both foreign and internal.
Conformable v.nth thefe redeQions, wc may afiRrm,
that no great objecl in our affairs has failed to at-
tra8; the notice of the foreigners, Vv'ho havie engag-
ed in our f-inds. The internal navigation /)f South-
Carolina, North-Carolina, Virginia, Maryland,
Fennfylvania, New-Jerfey, and New-York, are
among the witneffes of this truth. The banks both
national and iiate, the turnpike roads, and toll
bridges, the Tales of city eiiates, of cultivated farms,
and particularly of unimproved lands, commerce,
lliip- building, manufaQures, confirrp the faQ. Let
us contiiuie to exhibit a Jlricily honejl Jpirit in our
laws and conftitutions, an ejjicient execution of them
and an ahjiinence from iinnecejfary vjarSy and there

3^7

cannot exiO: a doubt^ that we fliali draw mucb more
copioufly from the population, the arts, and the
funds of Europe, than they will draw froni thoi'e
of the United States.

There exilts in the United States one defcription
of private difficulties and incumbrances, that
muil engage the folicitude of every feeling mind,
which, by an examination into the detail and inte-
rior of our aifairs, has been led to obferve them.
The cafes alluded to are thofe pf the citizens of
two or three of the flates, who are burdened with
heavy foreign debts or claims, whicn originated be-
fore the revolution. Whatever they may be final-
ly adjudged to pay, the fum mult be fo great, and
due from fo many perfons, as to give it the refem-
blance of a public debt: and as in one of thoi'e
ftatcs it has already occafioned fome facrifices of
their principal landed edates, very far below their
value, fo it will probably operate in the others,
unlefs fome extenfive means, abundantly adequate
the occalion, can be brought to operate, before
or at leaft at the time of executing the judgm.ents
of the courts, which may be obtained. No re-
fource, competent to the purpofe, appears at all
likely to prefent itfelf, unlefs it be the fund-
ed debt or (lock of the United States and of the fc-
verai ilates. The method by which this defcription
of property can be rendered moft immediately and
effeQually fubfervicnt to the intereding purpofe of
preventing the deftruQion of many families, would
feem to be the fxture of it at a Jlahle, unfucluating

368

ratCy adequate to its proper value, under the exift-
ing circumftances of the United States. It is ma-
nifeft, that in fuch a Hate of the market, the deal-
ers in the debt and others would fell out, and
would not buy in again, and that they would leek
objefts for their money in the trade, the manufac-
tures, the buildings, and the lands of the country,
which might promife them more advantage. A
tenth part of the value of the public debts, applied
to the lands of the United States, would raife them
every where to their real value, fo that the debtor,
who might be under a neceffity to fell an eftate,
could difpofe of his property, not only without a
ruinous facrifice, but probably to uncommon ad-
vantage. The proprietors of lands and buildings,
which might be under this probability of fale,
would fuftain no rifque or injury in felling their ef-
tates for the public ftock.

It may be alledged, that the holders of the debt
will not go into places fo remote to make inveft-
ments : but there are fafts, which appear to war-
rant a verydi fferent opinion. The funds of New-
England have been brought into Pennfylvania, for
invefi:ment in lands of feveral kinds — the money
of Pennfylvania and Delaware has been invefted
in mills and lands in Virginia — the greater part of
the iron works of Maryland (the moll coftly eftates
in our country,) were bought and worked by the
capitals of refidents in Great-Britain before the re-
volution. The fame fa8: exifted in one great in-
llance in New-Jerfey. The greateft cedar fwamp>

3^9 ^

on the waters of the Delaware, that fupplles the
Philadelphia market, is owned in New^England ;
and people and vefl'els from that quarter, are an-
nually fent to perform the bufinefs of it. The
American public creditors, citizens of the United
Netherlands, have recently purchafed eight hun-
dered tracts of land in a part of Pennfylvania, fur-
ther from Philadelphia than the banks of James
river, York, or Rappahannock. In fhort, if the
hiftory of this country were examined, as it re-
gards this fubjeft, it would demonftrate, that* the
landed property of it has been cohftantly animated
by the application of the monies of diftant capital-
ifts.*

SECTION V.
CONCERNING THE FOREIGN DEBTS OF THE UnITED StATES.

A T the commencement of the prefent govern-
ment in 1789, the United States were indebted to
France, Holland, and Spain, and to the foreign of-
ficers of the late army, in a fum amounting to near
twelve millions of dollars. Near a million and

*A. D. 1794. Great purchafes by late liolders oF the public debt
and bank flock in Pennfylvania and New- York, citizens and foreign-
ers, have been made in the dillrift of Maine, in the ftate of Georgia,
in the weftern and northern parts of New- York, in South-Carolina,
in the moll remote parts of Peunfylvania, in the ftate of Kentuc-
key, in the federal diftricl, in the Norfolk canal, in the Virginia
had mine.

3 A

two-thirds of this fum, was due for arrears of intc-
reft, inattention to which, would have been too
difgraceful to have admitted of a hope of foreign
credit, until mealures were taken for its dicharge.
Above a million and one third of the principal fum
had become due, and the time of other inftalments
was coming round. The refources of the country
had been examined and confidered, but not tried.
The claims of thefe foreign creditors, were origin-
ally, the mod delicate in themfelves ; and in the
cafe of France, the flate of her revolntion in the
fummer of 1790, placed her demand in a fitua-.
tion peculiarly interefting. It was perceived, that
the adoption of the federal conflitution and the
meafures taken to reftore public credit, had made
flrong and favourable impreffions on the Europe-
an money lenders : and it was not doubted, that
the arrears of intercft and the principal due,
might be difcharged by loans, upon terms which
would produce very little lofs. The requifite
authorities were given by the legiflature, which
refulted in the borrowing of a fum equal to the
difcharge of all the exigible debt. But as the
occafions of France were likely to be emergent,
and there was reafon to confide, that a firm and
fleady purfuit of the financial fyftem, which had by
that time been adopted, and an adherence to the
upright fpirit of the conflitution, would rapidly
meliorate the credit of the United States, it was
deemed expedient to extend the authorities to bor-
row, to a fum equal to the whole of the foreign
debt, provided the inftalments, not due, could be

371

difcbarged by means of loans advantageous to the
United States. The intereO: of above feven mil-
lions of the foreign debt, being at the rate of five
per cent, per annum, it was not doubted, that the
money might be obtained fo as to render the dif-
charge of the part, not exigible, really advantage-
ous. It has accordingly happened, that a fum ade-
quate to the principal and intereft due, has been
borrowed within the terms of the law, fo as to fup-
port the credit and good faith of the United States,
and critically to accommodate France. The further
expeQations of Congrefs have alfo been fulfilled;
a confiderable loan at four and one half, and two
Joans at four per cent, having been effefted, fo as to
realize an advantage in the difcharge of a large
part of the principal, ^hich was at an intereft of
five per cent. The United States having thus com-
muted their foreign debt, further than is due, with
honour, and, on a medium of the whole, with ad-
vantage, are relieved by thefe operations from any
probability of preflure to perform the remainder
of their European engagements. The friends of
our public credit, of our national fafety and re-
fpeftability, and of the freedom of France, among
the citizens of the United States, will refle8: up-
on this aftual courfe of events with cordial fatisfac-
tion.

THE conclusion: being miscellaneous thoughts on

THE GOVERNMENT,

The people of the United States enjoy a peculi-
ar felicity in the poffeffion of principles of govern-

372

mcnt and of civil and religious liberty, more found^
more accurately defined, and more extenfively re-
duced to pratlice, than any preceding republicans.
There is not one iota of delegating or delegated pow-
er, which is not poflbll'ed, or may not be acquired by
every citizen. It is true, that there are in prac-
tice, feveral deviations in the diftribution of pow-
er to the various fubdivifions of the country, and
to the proprietors of certain defcriptions of proper-
ty ; but thefe are acknowledged departures from
principle, and are known to have arifen out of the
antecedent Rate of things. They could not be im-
mediately corre61ed without violent ftruggles and
disorders, and without injury to the property of
defcriptions of citizens, too great for the country,
at any former period, to compenfate. Mild reme-
dies are, however, daily applied to thefe partial
difeafes; and it is manifeft, that the courfe of time
is diminifhing, and will finally remove them. The
right of legiflative interpofition, on the part of
the chief magiftrate, which, in the praftice of ano-
ther country, has been commuted for a dangerous
and injurious influence, is here wrought into the
cflence of the con{litution,and is not only exercifed
in the independent and uncontrouled confideration
of every pefoliuion and bill, but by the praQical
application of the qualified negative.

The execution of the office of the chief magi-
ftrate has been attended, through a term of almoft
four years, with a circumftance, which to this nation
and to the furrounding world requires no commen-

373

tarv — a native citizen of the United States, traiufer^
red from private life to that Jlation, has not, during
Jo long a terrriy appointed a Jingle relation to any
office of honour or emolument.

The fenatorial branch of the government has
been created and continued in a mode preferable
to that which is purfued in any other nation.

The reprefentative branch is equally well confli-
tuted.

The military code, for the government of fuch
troops as are occafionally raifed and employed, is
well calculated to produce difcipline and efficien-
cv, when time is allowed for the purpofe, and con-
fequently to render the United States refpeftable
in the eyes of foreign nations.

All chrillian churches are fo truly upon an equal
footing, as well in praftice as in theory, that there
are and have been in the legiflative, executive, and
judicial branches of the general government, per-
fons of the following denominations — Epifcopalian,
Prefbyterian, Independent or Congregational, Qua-
ker, Lutheran, Reformed, Roman, and probably
others, which do not occur. There have been,
and indeed yet are, a few ecclefiaftical diftinQions
in the ftate governments, which reafon and time
are rapidly deflroying. It is eafy to perceive, that
religious liberty, fupported by the national confti-
tution, and a great majority of the ftate conftitu-

374

tions, cannot but attain, in a very fhort time, the
fame theoretical and pra6lical perfeQion in the re-
mainder, which it has acquired in them.

The independency of the judiciary, as well in
the tenure of their (lations as in the permanency of
their compenfations under the federal conftitution,
and in moft of thofe of the ilates, is an advantage
over the ancient republics and the generality of
modern governments, of ineftimable value in re-
gard to liberty, property and {lability.

The United States, being without tranfmarinc
or feparated dominions, are exempted from two
inconveniencies, which have refulted from them.
An immenfe naval force has been found necefiary
to defend fuch territories, and to prote6l the trade
Avith them in time of war, and the difficulty of de-
viling for them a free legiQation, has hitherto
proved infurmountable. The Britifh nation de-
clared, that they had a right to legiflate for their
colonies and dominions in America, Afia, and
Africa in all cafes whatfoever, and the revolution of
the United States turned upon that cardinal point.
When we obferve, that the French nation, ardent
as they are in the purfuit of liberty, have not yet
been able to devife any fyftem of government for
their colonies without a dernier refort to the legif-
lature of France, it will be a fource of comforta-
ble reflexion to the friends of free and efficient go-
vernment in thefe ftates, that we are not perplexed

375

by the neceflity offo delicate, important, and diffi.
cult a political operation.

It has been unfortunate for moft nations, as well
ancient as modern, that they have had no fettled pre,
exifting mode of altering, amending, or renovating
their political fyftem, to which they could refort
without a deviation froni the legal courfe of things
hazarding the public tranquility, and often free-
dom itfelf. — It is equally happy for the people of
the United States, that in their federal govern-
ment, and in moft of thofe of the Hates, there ex-
ifts a provifion, by which thofe neceflary and de-
firable ends may be obtained, with whatever
zeal, v/ithout recurring to irregularity or violence."'*

Fundamental principles being already fettled by
common confent, and being accurately and clear-
ly recorded in the conftitutions, the people cannot
long miftakc the nature of a meafure, a law, or a
political maxim, which is really oppofed to thofe
principles ; and when the public judgment is decided
upon any one or more dereliftions of thofe princi-
ples of magnitude fufficient to induce an effort for
reform, the will of the people cannot be fuccefsful-
ly refifted or even fufpended. The confequence
of this (late of things will be, that the mafe of er-
ror will not eafily accumulate, fo as to become
infupportable, being kept down by thefe orderly
natural exertions of the community, to relieve
themfelves at an earlier ftage of inconvenience,

* The ineflimable alierative powers in the conftitution of the
United States &c. are here contemplated.

Too great a facility to change would, however, be
likely to produce fluQuations, injurious to order,
peace, property, and induftry, and indeed to liberty
itfelf : but as the mode of performing the amenda-
tory or alterative operations is (low, and confe-
quently deliberate, trivial or dangerous changes
would be very difficult to accomplifh. In this view
there appears to be very little probability, that
changes from free or reprefentative government,
xvill take place ; or that any modification of here-
ditary power will be introduced into the govern-
ments either of the ftates or of the union. The peo-
ple will never deliberately confent to the abroga-
tion of thofe claufes in the feveral conftitutions,
which explicitly provide both in general terms,
and in particular detail, for free or republican go-
vernment. Nor does it feem eafy, confidering the
degree of perfe61ion we have obtained and the cer-
tain, conltant, and moderate operations of the
amendatory claufes, to accumulate fufficient pub-
lic evil or grievance, to produce one of thofe con-
vulfions, which the ambitious are wont to feize as
the moment to introduce, by force, a defpotic go-
vernment. Even local circumftances confpire to
favour the permanency of liberty in thefe ftates.
Being too remote from any foreign nation, to ren-
der a war, requiring a great army, at all
neceffary, that inftrument, fo often ufed by
ambitious leaders, is not likely to be placed with-
in the reach of the enemies of freedom, while tht
union rtmaini entire. It is worthy of the moft par-
ticular obfervation and remembrance, that a diffo-
lution of our government would immediately open *■

377

a door to this danger, as the feveral ftates or little
confederacies, would each deem it prudent to
maintain a larger army, than is now requifite for
the whole. The hiitory of Greece will inftrud us
that by this more than any other poflible meafure,
we ftiould be prepared for the military domination
of fome modern Philip, or fome new Alexander.
A Jtrong union and a tranquil liberty would be mi-
ferably exchanged for fuch a (late of things.

It is an evident truth, that the penal laws of thefe
ftates have been gradually mitigated fince the epo-
cha of their independence, and it is no lefs true,
that the number of crimes does not bear fo great a
proportion to the population, as was formerly the
cafe, though an univerfal relaxation of the police
took place in the late war. It is, an ill fymptom
of the adual ftate of things, in a fociety, when
mild laws, JlriBly executed, are incompetent to the
prefervation of order and public happinefs. Our
penal codes are, upon the whole, among the leaft
fanguinary, and it is believed, they are not cruel,
even in thofe unhappy cafes, which impel the com-
munity to extremities. The conftitution of the Unit-
ed States has extraQed all the gall from the punifh-
ment of offences againft the national fafeiy, by cor-
re8:ing the power of legiflating concerning them
with a mildnefs unknown to the fy Items of moft
countries. It is honourable to the humanity and
magnanimity of the American people, that this pro-
ceeding flowed from them almoft unanimoufly, four
years after the revolution war. Future ages will do

3 B

37B

jullice to a nation capable of fuch an effort, at a
moment fo particular.

Taking the United States at large, there are few
or no countries in which, at this time, the juft de-
mands of private creditors can be obtained by a
more certain, a more expeditious, or a lefs expen-
five courfe of legal procefs. There are fome local
and a very few general defeQs yet exifting; but
they are vanifhing before the fpirit of the general
and mod of the flate conftitutions. There is no
part of the public conduQ of this country more
ftriking, than the firmnefs with which they have ap-
plied the cauftic to fome inveterate cancers, which
had been derived to their pecuniary fyftem, prin-
cipally from adventitious caufes. It proves the ex-
iRence of that virtue and fortitude, which qualify
a nation for republican government. There are
fome exceptionable circumftances, yet to be done
away ; but the fuccefsfuU efforts, which have been
made, juftify a confident expeftation, that they will
yield ere long to the powers and influences which
have eradicated much greater evils of the fame
kind.

THE recent date of thefe refleQions on the ftate
of the American union, will naturally render them
an interefting portion of this publication. It may
be matter of entertainment to the curious, and of
inllruftlve information to thofe, who engage them-

379

felves in the ftudy of mankind, to know what the
United States have been, have thought, and have
done, in the antecedent flages of their political ex-
iftence, but to the world in general the real nature
and aftual fituation of their affairs at this time, and
the profpefts, which appear to arife out of them, arc
fubje6ts of much greater importance.

38o

CHAPTER X.

SOME IDEAS CONCERNING THE CREATION OF MANUFACTUR-
ING TOWNS AND VILLAGES IN THE UnITED StATES, AP-
PLIED, BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, TO A POSITION ON THE
RIVER SuSQUEHANNAH.

nnHE diftance of the United States from the
-*- foreign confumers of many of their exported
produftions, and from all of the manufa6lurers of
their imported fupplies, have been placed among
the mod important confiderations in favour of their
purfuing, in conjun6lion with other things, the
bafinefs of manufadures. To thefe inducements,
of great and manifefl: ftrength in times of general
peace, the prefent univerfal war among the Euro-
pean powers has added new force. It has become
ftill more the intereft of the United States to infufe
into their towns and cities further portions of ma-
nufa6lLiring capital, induftry and (kill. The fol-
lowing delineation of an eftablifhment, which might
be created by foreign or domeftic capital, was in-
tended to exhibit the various and extenfive confe-
quences in favour of the landholders and cultiva-
tors, which have invariably refulted from manu-
fafturing towns. Every item in the enumeration,
implies a demand for timber, fuel, grain, cattle,
beer and other drinks, hemp, flax, wool, iron, flax-
feed, or fom.e other production of our lands and
farms. Similar exertions on the fea coaft might
be equally or even more fuccefsful, as the manu-
fadures of the productions, as well of the agricul-

38i

tural ftates-as of foreign countries, might be com-
bined with thofe of the immediate vicinity.

REFLECTIONS OS THE AFFAIRS OF THE UnITED StATES, OCCA-
SIONED BY THE PRESENT WAR IN EuROPE, RECOMMENDED

TO American and Foreign Capitalists.

It is highly prudent in every nation, ferioufly
to confider the efFefts which great events in other
countries may have produced on their affairs, and
to anticipate, in time, the confequences, in regard
to their interefls, to which fuch events may poflibly
give rife. The enhancement of the coft of our
manufaftured fupplies by the demand for the im-
menfe armaments by land and fea now making in
Europe, and the impediments to the cheap tranj-
portation of our produce by the recent deduction of
a large proportion of the veflels, which lately carri-
ed them at peace freights^ with the impoflibility of
building in time a fufficient number of fhips to
perform the fervice, and to fupply the purchafes by
foreign nations, render it a matter of the mod
comfortable reflection, that we have made fuch
frequent and full examinations, of our capacities
in the bufinefs of manuJaBures; and that we have
made fo great progrefs in the eftablifhmentof many
of the moft ufeful and neceflary branches. There
occurs nothing to warrant a belief, that we fhall
ceafe to maintain our courfe in peace. But it is
manifeft, that even in that defirable fituation, the
inducements to purfue manufaftures are not a
little increafed by the advanced coft of our fup-

8^2

plies, and the diminutio7i of our carriers at peace
freights already mentioned. It will be wife then
to devife new methods of increafing our manufac-
tures, in order to cheapen and multiply fupplies, and
to extend the home market for our agricultural pro-
cluBions, It is moreover well worthy of remark,
that in confequence of the war in Europe many
articles of great importance in the building of
houfes, improving new plantations, and fupplying
the fettled country, and the induftrious poor, are
faid to be prohibited to be exported from Great-
Britain, becaufe they can be applied to military
purpofes, or may be wanted for themfelves. How-
ever reafonable or cuftomary in fimilar circum-
Itanccs this may be, our citizens mufl; actually be
fubje6led thereby to additional expence, and the
charges of improving and cultivating real eftates
muft be increafed. Manufadures of thefe pro-
hibited kinds of goods are therefore rendered in-
difpenfible by the fituation of that country, which
is the principal foreign fourceof our fupplies.

However improbable or impoffible, war may ap-
pear* in the judgment of many or mod of us, it
can do no injury to remark, that the cofl of our
fupplies would be fo much increafed by that worft
of all poffible events, and the veflels to carry our
produce at peace freights would be fo extremely
diminiftied, if our own fliould be involved, that
nothing but fome fuch great and vigorous efforts
as that fuggefted for confideration, could fave our

* In the fpring of I793»

8^3

cultivators from a very inconvenient expence in
procuring fupplies, and a reduQion of tlic market
prices of many articles of their produce.

It will be perceived, that the plan is laid upon a
fcale, which is not likely, at this time, to be carried
into execution in any one place. It is necellary,
therefore, to remark that it is not intended in any
view, but to exemplify what might be done with a
given capital. The owners, however, of certain
great water fituations, might fafely and advantage-
oufly lay out their adjacent grounds in a town plat
with fuch views, and they might fell, or let on
ground rents, fuch ordinary building lots, or fuch
fituations for water works, as purchafers or tenants
might apply for, leaving the plan to mature by
time and the natural attra6lions and advantages of
the feveral fcenes; or improvements might be com-
menced upon a fcale of 5,000, io,coo, 15,000 or
20,000 dollars, as capital might be obtainable, and
prudence might appear to juftify. In all events,
it is conceived, that a profitable attention to our
fituation may be promoted, and pofTibly fome re-
flexions favourable to the United States, and to
the proprietors of particular eftates, and many vi-
cinities, may be fuggefted by the publication of the
plan at the prefent very interefting crifis.

384

A PLAN FOR ENCOURAGING AGRICULTURE, AND INCREAS-
ING THE VALUE OF FARMS IN THE MIDLAND AND MORE
WESTERN COUNTIES OF PENNSYLVANIA, APPLICABLE TO
SEVERAL OTHER PARTS OF THAT STATE, AND TO MANY
PARTS OF THE UnITED StATES,

In a country, the people, the foil, and the cli-
mate of which are well fuited to agriculture, and
which has immenfe natural treafures in the bowels
and on the furface of the earth, the creation of a
ready ^ near, and fi able market for its fpontaneous and
agricultural produBions, by the introduBion and in-
creafe of internal trade and jnanufaBureSy is the mojl
effeBual method to promote hufbandry, and to advance
the inter efts of the proprietors and cultivators of the
earth. This pofition has been affumed, with the
firmed confidence, by one,* and maintained and
relied upon afterwards by others, of the moft in-
formed and found minds in Great-Britain, in rela-
tion to the internal trade, manufaftures, and land-
ed intereft of that kingdom, although it is an ifland
poffeffing uncommon advantages in its artificial
roads, canals, rivers, and bays, which, altogether,
afford the inhabitants a peculiar facility in tranf-
porting their furplus produce with very little ex-
penfe to foreign markets.

To a nation inhabiting a great continent, not
yet traverfed by artificial roads and canals, the ri-
vers of which, above their natural navigation, have

* Hume.

385

been hitherto very little improved, many of whofe
people are at this moment clofely fettled upon
lands, which aftually fink from one fifth to one half
the value of their crops, in the mere charges of
tranfporting them to the fea-port towns, and others,
of whofe inhabitants cannot at prefent fend their
produce to a fea-port for its whole value, a thorough
fenfe of the tnUh of the pojition is a matter of une-
qualled magnitude and importance.

The ftate of things in mod of the counties of
Pennlylvania, which are contiguous to, or in the
vicinity of the river Sufquehannah and its exten-
five branches, is confidered to be really and pre-
cifely that, which has been defcribed ; and the ob-
je8: of this' paper is to fugged hints for a plan of
relief from the great expence and inconveniencies
they at prefent fuftain, by creating a market town
4ov their produce on the 7nain body of that river, at
fome proper place between the confluence of its
eaftern and weftern branches, and the lower end
of its prefent navigation.

It is propofed that the fum of five hundred
thoufand dollars, to be applied as is herein after
mentioned, be raifed in either of the three following
methods — that is to fay, either by fiv^e thoufand
fubfcriptions, of one hundred doVars each, to
the capital flock of a company tc be temporari-
ly affociated for the purpofe, without any exclu-
five privileges — Or, by the falf of one hundred

3 c

386

thoufand lottery tickets, at five dollars each ; or
fifty thou land tickets, at ten dollars each, the
whole enhanced amount of which is to be redrawn
in pri:^es agreeably to a fcheme, which will be
licrein after exhibited — Or, by the application of
live hundred thoufand dollars, of the monies in
the trcafury (or otherwife in the command) of the
{late of Pennfylvania. — The inducements to the
operation, either to the ftate, to the adventurers
in the lottery, or to the fubfcribers of the ftock of
the aflbciated company, will appear in the fequel
to be an augmentation of about one hundred per
cent, in the value of the property to be embraced
— that is, in a profit of about one hundred per cent,
on the monies to be raifed or advanced for the
purchafe of the lands, and the ereBion of the
buildings.

The application of the above fum of five hun-
dred thoufand dollars, might be as follows :

ift. In the purchafe of two thoufand acres of
land on the loejlcrn bank of Sufquehannah, as a
towMi feat to be regularly laid off in a town or city
for inland trade and mami/adureSy with flreets fixty
feet wide, in oblongs of five hundred feet, fronting
the fouth veftern or prevalent fummer vjindsy by-
two hundred and twenty feet; each oblong to be
interfered by t twenty foot alley, running length-
wife, or from noith-weft to fouth-eaft, fo as to give
all the lots [oulh-XKeji front expofures, ov fouth-wejl-
back expofures, aid outlets in the rear.

387

Dollars,
The purchafe of the land, including the
farm buildings which may be on it, and
water rights, &c. would probably be at
fifteen dollars per acre, for two thoufand .
acres, 30,000

The contents will be a little more than
three fquare miles. The fhape might be
two miles on the river, by a little more
than one mile and one half running from
the river. — The number of lots of twenty
feet front, and one hundred feet deep,
would be about twenty-fix thoufand.

2dly. In the ere6lion of five hundred
and ten ftone and brick houfes, of the
value of three hundred dollars each (in-
clufive of the value of the lots,) 153,000

Two hundred and twenty ftone and
brick houfes, of the value of five hundred
dollars each, 110,000^

Fifty ftone and brick houfes, of the va-
lue of eight hundred dollars each, 40,000

Ten ftone and brick houfes, of the va-
lue of two thoufand dollars each, 20,000

Four ftone and brick houfes, of the va-
lue of fix hundred and fifty dollars each, 2,6oOf

388

Two mills for preparing hemp, which Dolls.
would often come down in boats, and on
rafts from the rich new lands on the upper
waters of Sufquehannah and its branches,
one thoufand two hundred and fifty dol-
lars each, 2,500

One mill for preparing flax, 800

One mill of about five hundred fpindles,
for fpinning flax, hemp, and combed wool,
to be divided into fifty fliares, of one hun-
dred dollars each, to increafe the number
of prizes, 5>oo^

One rope walk, 2,000

Two fmaller ditto one thoufand dollars
each, 2,000

Two tan yards, one thoufand five hun-
dred dollars each, 3,000

Two fmaller ditto, 1,500

One paper mill, 1,500

One flaxfeed, hempfeed, and rapefeed
oil mill, 1,500

One grift mill, 2,000

Two bake houfes, five hundred dollars
each, 1,000

3B9

Two flitting and rolling mills, five thou- Dolls.
fand dollars each, 10,000

One fteel furnace, 3,000

One foap boiler's and tallow chandler's
fhop, 500

One malt houfe, 2,000

One brewery, 4,000

Ten grain and fruit diftilleries, of va-
rious (izes, averaging in value one thou-
fand two hundred and fifty dollars, each, 12,500

One printer's office for the Englifh lan-
guage, 500

One printer's office for the German lan-
guage, 300

Six blackfmith's fhops, and naileries of
various fizes, averaging five hundred dol-
lars each, 3,000

Two cooper's fliops, one three hundred,
the other two hundred dollars, 500

One cedar cooper's fhop, 200

Four hatter's fhops, two at five hundred,
and two at three hundred dollars, 1,600

One bleach yard and houfe, 1,000

390

Two fulling mills, one a thoufand, the Dolls.
other one thoufand five hundred dollars, 2,500

Two potteries, five hundred dollars each, 1,000

Four wheelwright's and chairmaker's
fhops, two at five hundred, and two at
four hundred dollars, 1,800

Two copperfmith's fhops, one five hun-
dred, the other four hundred dollars, 900

Two pot-aih works, one three hundred,
.the other two hundred dollars, 500

One brafs founders's fhop, 600

Two painter's fhops, one five hundred,
the other three hundred dollars, 800

Two turner's fhops, one five hundred,
the other three hundred dollars, 800

Two water forges, one thoufand five
hundred dollars each, 3,000

Four tilt l^mmer forges, one thoufand
dollars each, 4,000

One tobacco and fnuflF manufa6lory, 800

Two boring and grinding mills for guns,
fcythes, fickles, &c. at one thoufand dol-
lars each, 2,00Q

39^
Two fldn-drefler's fhops, five hundred Dolls.
dollars each, 1,000

Four lumber yards on the river, fenced,
twenty-five dollars each, 100

Two gun fmith's fhops, one five hundred,
the other three hundred dollars, 800

Two boat builders yards and fheds, one
four hundred, the other three hundred dol-
lars, 700

Four fchool houfes, two for each fex,
(part to be German) at three hundred dol-
lars (twelve hundred) and four houfes for
the tutors, five hundred (two thoufand)
dollars, • 3>200

One church for all denominations, to be
ufed in rotation by every fociety, until
any one fliall have a place of worfliip of
its own, when that fociety fhall lofe its
right, 4,000

Two taverns, one four thoufand, the
other three thoufand dollars, 7,000

Two ftables, one in the vicinity of each
tavern, for thirty horfes and ten carriages,
one thoufand dollars each, 2,000

One hundred buildings, of the value of
two hundred and fifty dollars each, half

392

with, and half without cellars, for tradef- Dolls,

men's and manufafturer's (hops, ftables,

&c. as occafion may require, 25,000

One large fcale houfe to weigh loaded
waggons, to be erected on the market
fquare, 500

One fcale houfe to weigh hogflieads and
other things, of lefs than one ton weight, 100

One fail-cloth manufaQory, 5>ooo

One plumber's fhop, . 300

Two brick kilns, yards and houfes, eight
hundred dollars each, 1,600

Two twine and cord fa6lories, five hun-
dred dollars each, 1,000

Four (laughter houfes and yards, 1,600

One ftarch work and dwelling houfe, 800

One library of three hundred fhares, of
ten dollars each, to increafe the number of
prizes, to be compofed of books relative
to the ufeful arts and manufaftures, 3>ooo

One parchment manufaftory, 500

One glue manufaQory, 500

One pump maker's fhed and yard, lOO

393

Charges of the fuperintendence of the Dolls.
execution, at one per cent. 5,000

500,000

The'buildlngs above mentioned will form a town
of one thoufand houfes, ufeful work (hops and fac-
tories by water, fire or hand, all of (tone or brick>
which is larger by near one half than the borough
of Lancafter. Being on the river Sufquehannah,
a very great and extenfive natural canal^ which, with
its branches, flows through a country of fifteen mil-
lions of acres, and will be connected with the lakes,
the pofition for a town muft be confidercd as war-
ranting a prefumption, that the lots would be more
valuable. — In order to extend this advantage, the
buildings fliould be erefted upon every fecond, or
perhaps every third lot; whereby a number of in-
terval lots would be left, which would be of near-
ly the fame value. — A further advantage would
refult from fuch a difpofition of the houfes, as the
vacant lots could be ufefully applied to garden
purpofes, until they (hould be built upon. As the
propofed houfes and work fliops would be of ftone
and brick, the poflibility of the progrefs of fire,
would be lefs, if the owners of the interval lots
Ihould build wooden houfes hereafter, than if they
were to ere6l fuch houfes in a compad feparate
quarter.

The lots, without the fcene, which fliould be
firft built on, would cofl, after throwing out the

3 D

394

ftreets and alleys, about five dollars, and might be
moderately eftimated, were Tuch a town ereQed,
at the medium value often dollars.

This town being contemplated as fuch an auxili^
ary to Philadelphia, as Manchefter, Leeds, Bir-
mingham, and Sheffield, &c. are to the fea-ports of
Great-Britain, it would be neceffary to conneft it
with that city ivimediately and efftUually^ by open-
ing a good road to the Lancafter turnpike, by what-
ever might be neceffary to give it the benefit of the
communication with Philadelphia through the Swe-
tara and Tulpohocken canal, through the Brandy-
wine canal, and through the Newport and Wilming-
ton roads, and by all other means which could be

devifed.. It would alfo be proper to conned it

with the boroughs of Reading, Lancafter, York,
Carlifle, Sec. and with the weftern, north-weftern,
northern, and other great roads. — Thus circum-
ftanced, and with the fupplies of wood-fuel, coal,
bark, grain, cattle, hemp, flax, wool, timber, iron,
ftone, lime, forage, Scq. which thofe roads, and the
Sufquehannah and its branches, would certainly
and permanently afford, this place could not fail
to become of very great profit to the fubfcribers
or prize holders, or the ftate, and to the landed in-
tereft, both tenants and owners. — The expenfe of
tranfportation from the neareft navigable part of
the Sufquehannah by way of Newport, is nine
dollars per ton ; from Middletown it is twelve dol-
lars per ton, to fixteen dollars per ton; and as
four-fifths of the ftate are on or weftward of that

395

river, the immenfe faving, which would be made by
a great and ftable market like that contemplated, is
equally manifeft and defirable.

It may be afked, whether the owners of the houf-
es, fhops, and works would receive applications
from tenants ? The anfwer is, that they would
themfelves be induced to occupy fome of them,
that the boroughs in the vicinity have been great-
ly extended by the fettlement of tradefmen, manu-
fafturers and others, who depend upon them and
upon the farmer, and that unlefs their inhabitants
open canals to the Sufquehannah, or difcover coal
in their vicinity, thofe boroughs which are not on
that river cannot grow much larger, though the
demand for manufacturers is fteadily increafing
with our population. It is regretted, that the lat-
ter increafe of Lancafter has been inconfiderabie.
But the water works, and the works by fire, pro-
pofed in the plan to be ereQed, would attraft and
fupport tradefmen and the workmen requifite to
proceed with the goods they would have begun, as
is conftantly the caie in Europe.

It may be fafely affirmed, that no part of the
United States, at prefent half as fully populated as
the five principal counties on the Sufquehannah,
offers fo encouraging or fo certain a profpetl for
an inland town. — It is, as it were, the bottom of a
great bag or Jack, into the upper parts oj which na-
tural and agricultural produce is poured from the
north' eaji, from the north, and from the wejl.

39^

It will be obferved, that many water works, and
objects requiring the moving power of water, are
particularized in the plan. For which reaf'on, and
in order to procure all the public and private ad-
vantages, which are attainable, it is propofed to
take I'ome pofition, where the river can be fo drawn
out of its natural bed, as to create thofe mill-feats
and falls. It is confidently affirmed, and is not at
all doubted, that there are not wanting places of
that great and valuable natural capacity.

Doubts may arife about the expediency of ere6l-
ing fome of the works. It is therefore obferved,
that thofe which are mentioned, are merely offer-
ed for confideration ; none of them are intended
to be urged : but it is believed, that moft of them
would prove, on examination, eligible.

The greater part of the private emolument would
be realized, it is fuppofed, by the ereClion of nine
hundred dwelling houfes of various fizes (in any of
which many kinds of manufa8;orics could be pur*
fued) and one hundred fliops for fuch branches, as
by reafon of their producing loud noifes, or un-
pleafant fmells, or of their requiring greater room,
could not be carried on among women and chil-
dren, infirm, aged, or fick perfons, or within the
compafs of an appartment in a common dwelling
houfe. In that cafe, however, it would be mani-
feftly prudent, to bring the unimproved mill-feats
into view, that they might be in the way of early
ufe and employment.

397

The reafon of extending a view to the immedi-
ate ere6lion of thofe water mills and other works
is, that by their very great confumptionof the raw
materials and produce, which may be drawn by pur-
chafe from the farmers, they will as early and ma-
terially increale the benefits of the propofed town
to the landholder and cultivator, without taking
any hands from agriculture, or preventing any
from going to it.

It will be proper to afcertain, with precifion and
certainty, what would be a reafonable value of two
thoufand acres of land, thus purchafed^ and thus
built iipoUy that the inducements to the operation
may be duly exhibited. The borough of Lancaf-
ter will appear to afford a mean of comparifon, not
too favourable, when it is remembered, that a po-
fition on the wejl fide of Sufquehannah, would give
the propofed town a mod extenfive and fertile back
country for its fupplies by land, free from the ex-
pence and rifque of any ferry ; and that it would
acquire building materials, provifions raw materi-
als, and the infinitely important article, pit coal,
the very important articles, timber and barky in the
greateft abundance, and on the cheapeft terms, by
means of the navigable waters of the Sufquehannah*
and that its traders and artizans could tranfport
produce and manufaftures, and recieve fupplies
from Philadelphia through the canal of Swetara,
without any the lead cxpence of carting.

398

An eftimate of a town, confifting of the kinds
and number of buildings particularifed above,
may be reafonably made as follows :

Dollars.
The a61ual firft coft of all the various
buildings above mentioned, is dated to
be 500,000

From thefe dednfl; the value of the
four fchools, and the church, feven thou-
sand two hundred dollars, which would
be public, and would be of no value
to the owners of the town, as fuch, but
as they might refleft value upon the
houfes, manufaftorics and lots: alfo
dedu6l the fum of five thoufand dollars,
allowed for the charges of fuperintend-
ance, 12,200

Remain as the aBual coft and real
value of all the private buildings, 487,800

The value of one hundred lots, to be
given for twenty churches, and thirty-
two for the market, court houfe, and
jail, nothing, but as they refleQ value
on the other property in the town, 000,000

The value of one thoufand and ninety-
nine lots, of the fize ot twenty by one
hundred feet, on which the above pri-

399

vale buildings and works are to be Dollsm
ereded, when they fhall be completed,
at one hundred dollars each^ on a me-
dium, 109,900

The value of two thoufand one hun-
dred, and ninety-eight interval lots (ly-
ing between and among the private and
public buildings, and exclufively of thofe
without that part of the town plot, pro-
pofed to be built upon with the fund of
five hundred thoufand dollars) at eighty
dollars on an average, i75»48o

The value of one hundred twenty feet
lots, making twenty large lots equal to
one hundred feet fquare, fuitable for
erefting twenty other mills, with the
requifite (hare of the water right, at five
hundred dollars for each mill feat, 10,000

N. B. Thefe will make, with the im-
proved mill-feats, about forty, and will
not require the height of water or com-
mand of a fall to be kept for more than
a quarter of a mile. It is believed much
more might be placed againft this item.

The value of the exclufive privilege
of keeping ferries, arifing out of the
ownerfhip of the grounds, to conflitute
prizes, 5,000

400

The value of twenty-two thoufand Dolls,
lots, accommodated with ftreets and al-
leywS, not within the part built upon as
above, with the woods on them, and on
the ftreets and alleys, for fuel and tim-
ber, theftone, lime, clay, &c. for build-
ing, at ten dollars per lot, to conftitute
prizes, 220,000

1,008,540

The feveral objefts in the foregoing eftimate of
one million eight thoufand five hundred and forty
dollars to conftitute prizes, to be drawn by the pur-
chafers of five hundred thoufand dollars worth of
tickets : a fcheme of a lottery more protfiable than
moft, which have been exhibited, and which will
moreover yield great advantages to every proprietor
and tenant of lands within the fphere of trade be-
longing to the town.

Although fuch calculations and eftimates as
thefe ought always to be received with the utmoft
caution, and to be examined with ftriQnefs, yet
there are circumftances, which, it is concieved,
infure fuccefs to a well devifed and well executed
plan in the fcene already mentioned.

A very great and iticreafing fupply of all thofe
things which can create, maintain, and extend a
town; which can att raft, cheaply fupport, and

certainly and thoroughly employ an induftrlous
community, forced by the nature of the river and
country into this Jingular /cd?z^, juftify an affirma-
tionj that no fuch fituations for towns of inland trade
and manufactures of native produdions exift in
the populated parts of the United States. — To efti-
mate the value of the river, and the water works,
and their permanent influence upon the profperity
and growth of fuch a town, let us for a moment
fuppofe, that twenty fimilar mills, twenty unimprov-
ed mill feats, and a copious canal leading to the
Sufquehannah, were fuperadded to the prefent ad-
vantages of the borough of Lancafter.

It cannot but be perceived, that mod of the
American inland towns have been commenced
without due attention to the powers of water, the
advantages of interior navigation, and a copious
and certain fupply of other fuel, when wood fiiall
become Icarce and dear. — The whole number of
the houfes in the towns of fome of the Rates is very
inconfiderable, which is principally owing to their
produce having pafTed on without any natural (lop-
page or heavy expence of tranfportation from their
farms to their export market ; or to a fcarcity of
fuel which has been created, and will be increafed
by their growth.

There will be a peculiar certainty and {lability
in the value of property in fuch a place as that
contemplated, becaufe its trade and manufaQures
depending upon our own laws, and upon our pro-

402

du6lions, will not be fubje6led to the injuries and
viciffitudes, which often arife from foreign reftric-
tions and prohibitions, and from the defalcations
of the imports of foreign and precarious tropical
productions. On the other hand, every new dif-
covery of a mineral or foffil, every addition to the
articles of cultivation in the great landed fcene,
on which it will depend, whether for food or ma-
nufaSures, will yield frefh nourifhment and em-
ployment to its inhabitants.

In addition to the reafons already fuggefted
for placing the town upon the wejlern fide of the
Sufquehannah, it ought to be added, with a view
to the prefent and all other plans of eftablifhing
towns in this climate, that the eaftern and northern
fides of all waters in the United States, (the ele-
vation, drynefs of the foil, and other things being
equal) are lefs healthy than the fouthern and wef-
tern fides. As it further regards, that great con-
cern, the health and comfort of the citizens, it al-
fo merits repetition, that by the plan propofed, no
inadvertent or uninformed man will be able to
build his houfe, or place of bufinefs in fuch a man-
ner as to deprive himfelf of the hlejfing of the Jum-
mer winds.

Altho* great ftrefs has been laid upon a particular
fcene in the courfe of this paper, from a thorough
conviBion of its Jitnefs and value, it is manifeft, that
many of the ideas will apply to fuch of the exifting
towns in the date of Pennfylvania and elfewhere.

403

as have a capacity to command, by due exertion,
and at a moderate expence, water falls, coal, or in-
land navigation — A diligent examination of their
refpeftive capacities, in thofe particulars, ought,
upon the general principles fuggefted, to be made.
It is alfo clear, that a very large part of thofe ad-
vantages may be gained at Harrifburgh, Middle-
town, the falls of Delaware, at the lower end of
the Schuylkill canal, and mod of the other canals
in the United States, by fuch a power of water as
has been mentioned above. In the ftates of Ver-
mont and Kentuckey, in the weftern parts of Penn-
fylvania and New-York, in the north weftern and
fouthern governments, and in general at thofeplaces
on the eaflernmojl, or nearejl parts of all the wef-
tern waters^ and the fouthern or nearef parts of the
northern waters, where the internal navigation ter-
minates, the whole of the above plan, in a maturer
fiate of their population, will apply, with the moflfo-
lid and extenfive benefits to the cultivators and pro-
prietors of the foil*

WERE two or three manufafturing houfes (or
firms) foreign or American, to make a purchafe of
fome fit fituation to ere6i: a variety of water works,

* The grounds around the lower falls of many of the rivers
emptying into the Atlantic Ocean, are alfo very fuitable for fuch
a plan, becaufe provifions, wood, coal, and raw materials may
be tranfported to them coaftwife and from foreign countries.

404

and were they to commence two or three feveral
manufadories upon a confiderable fcale, and to
referve fuitable fxtuations and a command of wa-
ter for a number of others which would follow,
they could not fail to fucceed in their refpe8:ive
branches, and they would greatly enhance the va-
lue of the purchafed lands. It is unneceflary to
repeat, in this place, the numerous circumftances
in the fituation and affairs of the United States,
which enfure fuccefs to well feleBed eftablifliments
of manufactures, conducted with judgment and
prudence.

405

CHAPTER XL

JBSTRACT of Goods,

Wares,

and Merchandize,

exported from

the United States, from

the ifl of Oaober, 1 790,

to ^cth Sep'

temler 1791.

Species of Merchandize,

^antity.

ASHES, pot,

tons of

3>oS3/^rt

pearl,

do.

3^2 70 /„®

Apples,

barrels

12,352

Bricks,

number

737;7^'4

Boats,

do.

Bellows, fmlths,

pair.

Beer, Ale and Porter,

gallons

44.526

dozens

719

Boots,

•

pair,

482

Boot legs.

do.

Brlmftonc,

pounds

3.28a

Blacking or Lampblack,

do.

^,53

Bayberries,

buftiels

Cider,

barrels

1,694

dozens

310

Chalk,

pounds

20,COO

Cotton,

do.

189,316

CofFee,

do.

962,977

Cocoa,

do.

8,322

Chocolate,

boxes

479

Candles, myrtle.

do.

348

wax,

do.

185

tallow.

do.

2,745

Cordage,

cwt.

Zy5?>i

Copper ore,

do.

P'g»

do.

216

manufactured.

do.

1,480

fheet.

do.

296

Coal,

bufhels

3,788

Cranberries,

do.

720

Corks,

grofs

300

Corn fan,

number

Canes and Walking-fticks,

do.

59S

Cotton and Wool Cards,

dozens

Carriages, Coaches, Chairs, &c.

number

Waggons and Carts,

do.

Duck, American,

pieces

^5^

Ruffia,

do.

4o6

Species of Merchandhe.

^antity.

Grain & Pulfe. Indian Corn,

bufhels

1,713,241

Oats,

do.

116,634

Buckwheat,

do.

14,499

Peafe & Beans,

do.

165,273

Horns and Tips,

number

119,776

Hides,

do.

704

Hats,

do.

435

Honey,

gallons

1,740

Hops,

pounds

650

Hemp,

do.

i»544

Hay,

tons

2,006

Iron, wrought. Axes,

number

979

Hoes,

do.

200

Drawing Knives,

do.

Scythes,

do.

Locks & Bolts,

do..

2,000

Shovels

do.

26r

Skimmers & Ladles, do.

Anchors,

do.

•?l

Grapnels,

do.

Mufquets,

do.

160

•Cutlaffes,

do.

Knives and Forks,

do.

240

Cheftsof Carpenters ^^

Tools,

wiw.

Iron, caftings. Waggon-boxes,

do.

100

Pots & Kettles,

do.

808

Cannon,

do.

Swivels,

do.

Cannon Shot,

do.

lOOO

Iron Patterns,

do.

Iron, the Ton. Pig,

tons

4»i78|
349I

Bar,

do.

Bundles,

do.

Hoops,

do.

i6|

Indigo,

Leather, tanned and drefled.

pounds

497,720

do.

5»424

Lime,

bufhels

1,320

Lead. Sheets, '^

number

"J-^r

Pig»

tons

I6|

Shot,

pounds

6,473

Live Stock. Horned Cattle,

number

4,627

Horfes,

do.

6,975

Mules,

444

Sheep,

do.

XP»377

407

Species of Merchandize.
Drugs & Medicine. Glauber's Salts,
Sarfaparilla, Pin:
Saflafras, Bark,
Saffafrafs-root,
Earthen Ware. Stone,

Yellow, Queens,
Flaxfeed,
Flax,
Feathers,
Flints,

Frames of Veflels,
Scows,
Boats,
Houfes,

Windows and Doors>
Furniture, Houfe. Tables,
Bedfteads,
Defies,
Bureaus,
Sophas, &c.
Clocks,
Clock-cafes,
Chefts,

Chairs, Windfor,
Chairs, Rufh,
Fifliery. Fifh, dried,

FiOi, pickled.
Whale oil.
Spermaceti oil,
Spermaceti candles,
Whalebone,
Glafs Ware,

Window,
Ginfeng,

Groceries. Caflia & Cinnamon,
Cloves & Mace,
Pepper,
Pimento,
Brown Sugar,
Loaf Sugar,
Other Sugar,
Raifins,
Grain & Pulfe. Wheat,
Rye,
Barley,

^cmiiiy.

pounds

1,580

k, do.

14,900

tons

do.

34i

dozens

crates

157

cafles

5S,492

pounds

18,600

do.

904.

number

40,000

do.

'95

do.

3«

do.

7«

do.

705

do.

5>i34

do.

73«

quintals

383»237

barrels

57*424

gallons

447>32J

do.

J34»59i

boxes

4.560

pounds

124,829

crates

boxes

pounds

29,208

do.

1,778

do.

900

do.

492

do.

i4i>7oi

do.

73'304

do.

i>i57

do.

1,200

do.

400

bufhels

1,018,339

do.

36,737

do.

4o8

Speaes of Merchandize,

lAvt Stock. Deer,

number

Hogs,

do.

Poultry,

dozens

Merchandize, or Foreign Dry Goods, packages

M^laiTes

gallons

?rlil)-ftoncs.

number

r Tuilai d,

pounds

Madder,

do.

Nr-ils,

do.

Negro Slaves,

number

Nankeens,

pieces

>-nts.

bufhels

Naval Stores. Pitch,

barrels

Tar,

^0.

Rofin,

do.

Turpentine, ■

do.

Turpentine, S^ts of, do.

Oil, Linfeed,

gallons

Porcelain, or China Ware,

boxes

Powder. Gun,

pounds

Plair,

do.

Pomatum,

do.

Paints,

do.

Pipes,

boxes

Printing Prefles,

number

Plaifter of Paris, m
Provifions. Rice, ^

tons

tierces

Flour,

barrels

Ship Stuff,

do.

Rye Meal,

do.

Indian Meal,

do.

Buckwheat Meal,

do.

Oatmeal,

do.

Bread,

do.

Beef,

do.

Pork,

do.

Crackers,

kegs

Hams and Bacon,

pounds

Venifon Hams,

do.

Cheefe,

do.

Lard,

do.

Butter,

firkins

Saufages,

pounds

Frefh Beef,

do.

Ditto Pork,

do.

^antltj,

4
16,803
10,247

I '439
12,721

780

i»o34

130,293

7,072

1,240

3'978

51,044

228

58,107

1,172

25*854

1,276

1,520

96,980

619,687

6,484

24,062

70,339

422

100,279

62,372

15*346

295,647

600

129,901

522,715

16,670

250

92,269

29*334

409

Spic'ies of Merchandize.

^antity.

Provifions. Carcafes of Mutton,

number,

5S^

Neats' Tongues,

barrels.

160

Oyfters, pickled.

kegs.

1,228

Potatoes,

bwfhels.

22,263

Onions,

do.

42,420

Reeds,

number,

15^450

Spirits. American,

gallons.

5i3>234

Weft-India,

do.

4»742

French Brandv,

do.

158

Peach do.

do.

753

Gin,

do.

10,252

Ditto,

cafes,

3/717

Ditto,

jugs.

2,039

Cordials,

cafes.

Sadlery. Saddles, men's,

number.

414

Bridles,

do.

402

Coach Harnefs,

fetts.

Waggon Geers,

do^

Shoes,

pair.

7,046

Soap,

boxes,

691

Sago,

pounds,

2,3^2

Starch,

do.

160

Snuff,

do.

15/:>H

Steel,

bundles,

r,375

Raw Silk,

pounds,

153

Silver,

ounces.

103

Salt,

buihels,

4,208

Spruce, EfTencc of

cafes.

Seed. Garden,

pounds,

1,060

Muftard,

do.

660

Hay,

do.

Cotton,

bufhels.

109

Skins and Furs.

Morocco,

number.

^32

Calf, in halrj

do.

402

Deer,

do.

1,063

Seal.

do.

2,672

Bear,

do.
do.

Beaver and Otter,

IO(3

Deer Skins, dreffed,

pounds.

48,031

Ditto and other do. and Furs,

do.

9<>o

Ditto and do.

packages.

889

Tobacco, in hogfheads.

number,

101,272

Manufaftured,

pounds,

81,122

Types,

boxes.

3 F

410

Specks of Merchandize,

^antity.

Tallow,

pounds,

3'7>I95

Twine,

per H2,

i9i

Tow Cloth,

yards.

6,850

Toys, for children,

dozens,

II2i

Tin,

boxes.

Maniifa6lured,

dozens,

^Si

Teas. Bohea,

chefls,

17I

Souchong,

do.

492

Green,

do.

178

Hyfon,

do.

2,2351

Vinegar,

gallons.

2,248

Varnifh,

do.

60 ^

Wines. Madeira,

do.

76,466 '

Other,

do.

32^336

Bottled,

dozens,

Wax. Bees,

pounds.

224,538

Myrtle,

do.

2,272

Whips,

numbers.

146

Wood. Staves and Heading,

. do.

29,061,590

Shingles,

do.

74,205,976

Shook Cafl«,

do.

42,032

Caflis,

do.

297

Laths,

do.

25,500

Hoops,

do.

1,422,155

Hoop-Poles,

do.

3»45o

Mails, ^

do.

405

Bow-Sprits,

do.

Bombs,

do.

• 74

Spars,

do.

4>983

Hand Spikes,

do.

36,714

PuQips,

do*

Boxes and Brakes,

do.

Blocks,

do.

7,040

Oars,

do.

28,456

Oar Rafters,

do.

13,080

Treenails,

do.

45>905

Cedar and Oak Knees,

do.

1,067

Breaft Hooks,

do. .

Carlings,

do.

Anchor Stocks,

do.

809

Cedar Polls,

do.

10,453

Oak Boards and Plank,

do. feet,

96^,822

Pine Boards and Plank,

do.

37,288,928

Other ditto and do.

do.

3»463,673

Scantling,

do.

6,237,496

409

Species of MerchancJize.

^mnt'ity.

Provifions.. Carcafes of Mutton,

number,

55^

Neats' Tongues,

barrels.

1 60

Oyfters, pickled,

kegs.

1,228

Potatoes,

bwfhels,

22,263

Onions,

do.

42,420

Reeds,

number,

i5»45o

Spirits. American,

gallons.

513*234

Weft-India,

do.

4'742

French Brandy,

do.

158

Peach do.

do.

753

Gin,

do.

10,252

Ditto,

cafes.

3.7*7

Ditto,

jugs,

2,039

Cordials,

cafes.

Sadlery. Saddles, men's,

number,

414

Bridles,

do.

402

Coach Harnefs,

fetts.

Waggon Geers,

do.

Shoes,

pair.

7,046

Soap,

boxes.

691

Sago,

pounds.

2,382

Starch,

do.

160

SnufF,

do.

15,689

Steel,

bundles,

1,375

Raw Silk,

pounds,

153

Silver,

ounces.

103

Salt,

bulhels.

4,208

Spruce, Eflence of

cafes,

Seed. Garden,

pounds,

1,060

Muftard,

do.

660

Hay,

do.

Cotton, f

buftiels.

109

Skins and Furs. '

Morocco,

number,

132

Calf, in hair,

do.

403

Deer,

do.

1,063

Seal,

do.

2,672

Bear,

do.

Beaver and Otter,

do.

I03

Deer Skins, drelTed,

pounds,

48,031

Ditto and other do, and Furs,

do.

9 Ho

Ditto and do.

packages.

889

Tobacco, in-hogfheads.

number,

101,272

Manufadured,

)ounds,

81,122

Typ«,

Doxes,

3 F

410

species of Merchandize.

^atttity.

Tallo'.v,

pounds.

317*195

Twine,

per 112,

I9i

Tow Cloth,

yards,

6,850

Toys, for children,

dozens,

M2|

Tin,

boxes.

Manufactured,

dozens,

^Si:

Teas. Bohea,

chefts,

17I

Souchong,

do.

492

Green,

do.

178

Hyfon,

do.

2»235i

Vinegar,

gallons,

2,248

Varniih,

do.

Wines. Madeira,

do.

76,466

Other,

do.

32>33<^

Bottled,

dozens.

Wax. Bees,

pounds.

224,538

Myrtle,

do. .

2,272

Whips,

numbers,

146

Wood. Staves and Heading,

do.

29,061,590

Shingles,

do.

74,205,976

Shook Caflcs,

do.

42,032

Cafks,

do.

297

Laths,

do.

25,500

Hoops,

do.

1,422,155

Hoop-Poles,

do.

3»450

Mails,

do.

405

Bow-Sprits,

do.

Bombs,

do.

Spars,

do.

4*983

Hand Spikes,

do.

36,714

Pumps,

do.

Boxes and Brakes,

do.

Blocks,

do.

7,040

Oars,

do.

28,456

Oar Rafters,

do. •

13,080

Treenails,

do.

45*905

■Cedar and Oak Knees,

do.

1,067

Breail Hooks,

do.

Carlings,

do.

Anchor Stocks,

do.

809

Cedar Pofts,

do.

10,453

Oak Boards and Plank,

do. feet.

963,822

Pine Boards and Plank,

do.

37,288,928

Other ditto and do.

do.

3'463'673 '

Scantling,

do.

6,237,496

411

Species of Merchandize,
Wood.

Oak, Pine, &c. Scantling,

Oak and Pine Timber,

X-ignumvitse,

Liogwood,

Timber,

Mahogany and Lignumvitae,

Oak and Pine Bark,

Oak Bark,

Ditto Ground,
^ Maft Hoops,

Axe Helves,

Trufs Hoops,

Yokes and Bows for Oxen,

Liock Stocks,

Worm Tubs,

Wheel Barrows,

Wheels for Carts, &c.

Spokes and Fellies,

Spinning Wheels,

Tubs, Pails, Bowls, &c.

Value,
Add for two returns from Charleflon,
juft received,

^antlty.

feet.

2,180,137

tons.

13»775

cwt.

1,180

do.

105I

number logs.

38,680

number pieces.

3.251

cords,

499

do.

hogftieads.

1,040

dozens,

148

do.

149

fetts,

do.

197

numbers.

4,000

do.

12,972

do.

204

Dollars 1 7*5 7 1 >5 5 1 45 Cts.
827,651

Dollars 18,399,202 45 Cts.

See page 412.

412

A SUMMARY OF THE VALUE AND DESTINATION OF THE
FOREGOING EXPORTS.

To the dominions of Ruflia,
of Sweden,
of Denmark,
of United Netherlands,
of Great-Britain,
To the Imperial ports of the Aullrian Nether-
lands and Germany,
To Hamburg, Bremen and other Hanfe towns,
To the dominions of France,
of Spain,
of Portugal,
To the Itahan Ports,
To Morocco,

To the Eaft-Indies, generally,
To Africa, do.

To the Weft-Indies, do.
To the north-weft coaft of America,
Uncertain,

Dollars,

2 1,866

1,634,825
7»953»4i8

362,01©

64,259

4,298,762

1,301,286

1,039,696

3i>726

3,660

318,628

168,477

59»434

3^380

29,274

To the above add the amount of two
quarterly returns, fince received from
Charlefton, South-Carolina,

Cts,

66
21

95
95
90

50
46
92
3^

Dollars iJySl^ySS^ 45
827,651

18,399,202 45

Treafury Department, 7
Odober ift, 1791. 3

TENCH COXE,

jijftftant Secretary,

411

Species of Merchandize,

Wood.

Oak, Pine, &c. Scantling,

Oak and Pine Timber,

JLignumvitae,

Logwood,

Timber,

Mahogany and Lignumvitae,

Oak and Pine Bark,

Oak Bark,

Ditto Ground,

Mail Hoops,

Axe Helves,

Trufs Hoops,

Yokes and Bows for Oxen,

Lock Stocks,

Worm Tubs,

Wheel Barrows,

Wheels for Carts, &c.

Spokes and Fellies,

Spinning Wheels,

Tubs, Pails, Bowls, &c.

feet,

^antlty.
2,180,137

tons.

i3»775

cwt.

1,180

do.

105:

number logs.

38,680

number pieces.

S^^5^

cords.

499

do.

hogfheads.

1,040

dozens.

14S

do.

149

fetts.

do.

197

numbers,

4,000

do.

t ^^

do.

12,972

do.

204

Value, 2)07/^^17,571,55145 Cts,

Add for two returns from Charlellon, 7 827 6c i

juft received, J '* -^

Dollars T 8,399,202 45 Cts,

See page 412,

412

A SUMMARY OF THE VALUE AND DESTI
FOREGOING EXPORTS.

To the dominions of Ruflia,
of Sweden,
of Denmark,
of United Netherlands,
of Great-Britain,
To the Imperial ports of the Auflrian Nether-
lands and Germany,
To Hamburg, Bremen and other Hanfe towns,
To the dominions of France,
of Spain,
of Portugal,
To the Italian Ports,
To Morocco,

To the Eaft-Indies, generally.
To Africa, do.

To the Weft-Indies, do.
To the north-weft coaft of America,
Uncertain,

NATION OF

rut

Dollars.

Cts.

3»570

2 1,866

277,273

1,634,825

7»953»4i8

362,010

64,259

4,298,762

1,301,286

1,039,696

31,726

3,660

318,628

168,477

59,434

3*380

29,274

To the above add the amount of twol
quarterly returns, fmce received from >
Charlefton, South-Carolina, j

Trcafury Department, 7
Odobcr ift, 1791. J

Dollars i^ySl^ySS^ 45

827,651

18,399,202 45

TENCH COXE,
Ajjijlant Secretary,

Abstract or coor

ID MERCHANI

no,.r.) FROM

oodi .■5^;'•TE^:B^

ICA, (with the aggkegate of

r ../ r E S.

■?,

-s

.i^

Total of

-s

■§

jS.

■a

•.icl.article.

'■i

#[?^;:.

t„,:^

90.6,0

69,., 3.3

52.7.0

23.8.0

3,550.0.0

JO., 9.0

—^

f.473-'i-!

. o.

19.9,0

2,oz9.8. 0

46.0.Z

,4.4,0

I,2I5.I.C

,7., 7.0

0,0

J.349^"M

^.p;-.fs.

k.rre.

Z95

209

4,59s

7-V--

6,sS;

Bnn,

2fi

Bnckj,

numbc,

Il4,icu

384,000

40,500

85,000

3"+,6oo

6,00c

35,000

38.500

3,000

2,G00|

74J.9°o

r,o.v,,

1-air:

' n

■

88
''1

Eecr, ti'Vr and prrtcr,

gal.,

9.90c

7, ,50

49.780

18,510

4:0

,,590

75=

4.7:'

50.

93.386

IhllO,

dorc,

5°

30c

249

130

5-3

r.oSj

Eriml.nu,

lU.

9,02 »

9,025

Bhck;igi.ndl,,mpUack,

3.7JO

3.8t2

Eelluv.-.frmi,l,s/

nunib-i

Cotton,

lbs.

8,8So

4,000

7.600

400

68,52c

'.,92:

-s'.jt's

Chall:,

per cwt.

5.0.0

300.0.0

40.0.0

345-0°

.- rWax,

boxes

,76

'99

1 J Mvr,]e,

do.

•IS

l;8

0 ['i-Mm,

1,9"

' 5«+

S,4

«c

225

,6S

,8,

3.9v7

Cordage,

per,, z lb

10,0.0

i,724-2-°

2,, 31.0.3

24.0.0

407.0,0

,70.0.0

5,. 0.0

4,5,7,2.3

Coal,

bun,cls

3-730

,26

590

5.33'

5,2,0

13,023

Cranberries,

'3'

'*!

Corks

groc.

Cards, wool and cotton,

Cards, plajing,

pack

1,000

,,000

Coffee,

lb,

,68,705

,"0,629

354.169

1,001, 1S7

4oi,oi-

9,1)24

jS4,2I.

2,136,7(1

Cocoa,

6,003

S, r Coaches, chaifes, chairs.

&c. numbe

1 Waggons

0 LCarts and drays,

dr.

■i^

Canes and (licks,

2!K

2. -3

t fOre,

lbs

§;J Manufaaured,

3,500

3.^0

C [sheet.

3,000

3. coo

Duck,

bi.k

667

7'J

210

,,59'

3 O

ABSTRACT OF GOODS, Isfc. EXPORTED.

.5 r

4 T E S.

t >■

1 1

Total of

-S

. K

-i-

5 §

■a

^ 0

■S

..■aclianidc.

•4

■f

'■i

1 f J f

1 -i
^ 1

.? fGIaubcr Cilts,

lbs.

1 6c

■ 60

^i SarfapatiUa,

do.

4S0

500

1.094

^: J Snake-root,

do.

'49

S.ioc

,912 3.426

30c

1,000

13.0S7

a 1 Pink-root,

ao.

1,000

5.000

6,000

& Saffaftai,

tons

11.2.0

6.10.0

5. 8.0 2.0.0

4.0.0

20.0.0

Q LDrugs, unknown

packages

Earthen Ware,

1?2

Flaxfeed,

"alks

" 69.

4.°47

4.59s

2.249

24,687

10,150

2,j6t 721

2.739

52,381

Flax,

lbs.

400

10,000

10, .(CO

Feathers,

do.

=: /

l.n.ines

number

EL,?ke.s,
"Bedfteads,
Tables,

do.
do.
do.

233
9

•3

Delks,

do.

5«

B.,reaus,

do.

Cloeks.

do.

t^ t-oplias,

do.

Settees,

do.

Mahogany Chairs,
Windfor Chairs,

do-

iJ6

1,652

'5'

336

7S0

3.061

Ru(h Chairs,

, Chelts Seamens"

269

"Fi(h, dried

quintal.

■'7,260

326,862

■6,647

2,081

1. 121

" 36Q

4!C

364,898

Fiih, piekled

barrels

647

18,147

9.578

5,210

5.913

1.6.3

3.23-1 '. + '5

..98.

422

63.3^.3

c ,

Oil, Whale

gallon

6,27^

292,482

, 43.347

'57

41,380

245

50,970

47 •■

910

48,277

«"^

Oil, Speimaceti

62,342

75''

28;

436.423

Spermaceti Candles,
Whale-bone,

boxe

1.06.

102

478

3.93S

Kei

103,172

5, 8. So

13.450

26,997

672 3.7-6

460

■54.407

'Wheat,

'S4

43t,

185,769

140,121! 395.37''

1,2c.-

853,790

Rye,

1,6+6

9S6

10,08:

■2.727

Indian Corn,

SSc

77.841

5,082

3"6,i82

227,256

7^7

4.4.262

5-537 23

2,142 684,627

156,72 99.985

i'i,66:

1.564.973

Buckwheat,

454

33'

77^

14c

r.<;6i

Oa.s,

1.07c

97. 65

7.018

7.797 2,2q3

111

15c

■ 19.7.33

_Peafe and Beans,

'3'

7.35 s

1,98)

3°.49S

'79 '

4.S73 63.372

54.49il

34;

192.07'

415

ABSTRACT OF GOOD5

y,-. EXPORTED.

i ~

,v r

A r £

■1

Tot.il 0

■l

1°

eachatlic

1 ■

'i,

fPrmin Sugar,

P--""'"

17''°4'

3:56,014

12-34

3o;,72o

5. "4

126,819

1,122..

Lnaf Suu^ir,

1,8^6

igi

l'^.5^'

5,200

60c

21,7f

^ (;tl,.r Sj-ar,

d.:

54.00c

54,0c

1 , Cho.ol:.:o,

4,1-0

432

1,15°

9(^

6,6c

1 Kr...„,o,

J,-..

2,44:

'2,600

y.°H

Ju.

40c

' 9S.

2.50,>O.I

4S.,)

11,100

1.S60C

310.6

G..i«cr,

d. .

i,S420

.8,4

Raifins,

d...

wr-

too

3.70^

8,7

Giil.'eng,

i^.

2"2.63S

+.7S'

200

''4.37 s

343

42.3

Glarssvarc,

Glafi for VVinclows,

box.-!

Gri..d-fwr,B,

numb,-.

I-

Giavc-Stoncs,

Hidos, Ka«v

702

90c

1.6

Her.* and lips,

'8,77f

i"7»9-

10,00c

i4,3co

17,000

6, 20c

1,100

1)0

'e.zj,

300

i82,oe

Hat.,

gallon

3°

2,606

. '''

3'4

I-!";-.,

,,„„a

\,i-

2,000

2!°

H.-..,

toi:

lyo..).

40.0.

i,9+6.io.c

130.0.0

17.0.C

20S.0.0

40.0.0

13.0.0

7.0.C

1,591-19

- N.:i>,

cli;

numbi-

"So . Mud'cts,

S Shovels.
? Scythes,

Anchoi^,

'■<

iGrap.tcls,

do
do

74c

1.24

l.,'lccttlcB,&OI

cr callings, do

2.40

! ' i ' ■:■>

ion

0.6.0°

108. 1 0.0.

448.0.0.C

797.0.0.0

i.44;.o.o.c

^es.ie.o.c

,<; iHu^Ol.,,

'1:;';^;

97.2.1.0

0.16.0.

,07.10.0.0
1 4-4.0.0

7.11.0.0

;

'?;:^:

4i6

ABSTRACT OF GOODS, bfc. EXPORTED.

s r

ATE

.?.

•|

•^

Total of

".^

■i

.S^

e.-ichatticle

Indigo,

pounds

950

840

1,000

2,6s f

4.33-

6,25c

839,666

3.30c

~s^t

Ivory,

calks

1/ Sheet,

pound.

4..vSo

20,160

610

ZS,2St

do.

2,000

i.;oo

5.JOC

Lcachcr,

do.
bulhels

2-,C

7.5^3
400

90
252

'2,690
90

''ill

1,650
96

1.49'

^2,C0=

. "-''"

'Homed Cattle,

number

'45

516

13s

3'S

7':'

4's;

. Horfes,

do.

400

213

4^349

445

10.

5,65 «

1 Mules,

do.

393

498

'Z < neer.

do.

.2 Sheep,

do.

253

4,015

2.957

3,706

62 2

110

" 40.

i2.'53

[poXy.

do.

SS5

1,129

3.522

><057

1,093

11,94-

b6>-

Si.

21,29

dozens

'.091

^73

3. '79

941

If,

111

96^

•

. -.3'^

M,r.4W,if»;'r Packages,
dry go,d,fir.ig«. t Nankeens,

number

324

746

464

;

1,701

pieces

2.S40

9,500

12,340

Molaffes,

gallons

S,c,94

1,000

130

^1,33^

Muftatd,

pounds

1,000

I 120

Millftones,

numbe

i \^xt'

barrel

623

'.953

462

.96

202

4,490

795

402

9.'45

^Jkofin, _

do
do.

7 So

'"t

600

9j77
539

5,SS9

2,900
334

19.0.7
4'

»'.395

2,50^

2,092

69,279
'■337

e 1 Turpentine,

4'34>-

122

".53'

7.14c

17,620

13,5,?^

11,102

67,. 4^

^ L^pi"»°f Turpentine,

gallon

-"'

96c

.,ol8

Negroes,

number

Kuts,

bulbels

106

267

OU, Linfeed

gallons

I go

Powder, Gun

qr. calks

170

1S9

467

Powder, Hair

pounds

6io
510

. 650

99c

. ^"

2.540

Porcelain,' or Cluna,

cherts

12S

Paper,

106

Pipes,

boxc

„

Paints,
Plainer of Paris

keg<

liS
3.0.0

. "'°

. ■^^^

OF GOODS, y.. EXPORTED.

.<.

r .1 r

E S.

■*,

'■5.

Total L.f

-4

■ii

eaeliatlide.

!•=

Kite,

tie^ce^

1.423

112

6.3.4
104.826

6,720

■.352

441

5'544

.06. + I9

J2.152

141,762

Mnur,

barrd.

406

26,736

6,225

4.4H

59-

347.742

24,iSs

191,799

lo8,b24

3.077

5.441

■92

824,464

ISread.

do.

4.49'

- 625

3,080

137

31,911

8.043

1.4,723

414

1.255

310

K0.9S6

Crackers,

kegs

2.049

i,+ .6

12.970

41'

3.72'

5.125

37.645

Rye Meal,

barrels

595

Q.725

597

2,6;s

32'.

.4.126

Indian Meal,

do.

575

330

2,6ss

'.'55

553

34.335

3.093

2.7.37

6 J

S2,6S.

Ship Stuff,

do.

5°5

532

6.1 So

Euclcwheat Meal,

do.

253

.. 265

Beef,

do.

'.7S4

28.453

7,06-

22.ic:;

S.290

211

3.205

1.010

717

291

992

149

74.33S

Pork,
Mutton,

do.

, do.

4.726

3.9'6

7."3

6,224

4,461

1,829

2,876

5.S22

_ 796

. "

38.098
17

Tongue.,

k^g>

2.354

2.418

s'"

Hams and Bacon,

33.2S1

i6,.t76

19.76S

107,100

'3.75c

305.230

3.961

9.271

8,028

50.126

.'6.382

..990

''.r,m

B.mer,

firkins

" 296

4.101

992

870

2.497

1.541

216

931

Cheefe,

pounds

28,027

H'73

29,602

26.30c

1,00c

15.240

877

1,050

3.59^

4. 100

1,400

125,925

Lard,

do.

" 36^

101,022

42,936

7^.644

94.72c

3.26c

8S.640

3,360

4,19'

35,940

53.37

.1.640

160

Si5'245

Frcdi Beef,

do.

75.092

75,092

Fre.li Pork,

do.

3,008

Carcafes of Mutton,

number

425

Saufages,

pounds

1.48c

1,4^0

Tongues and Sounds,

kegs

320

]

370

Tri,-cs,

pounds

6,00c

6,000

Ojtleis Keklal,

keg>

■39

995

206

1.973

Potatoes

balluh

4";

3.947

Cos

1.766

3.2»

3 ,00 7

irj

S35

.9,634

Onions,

rio

10,33

58.30.,

25,703

6.54

Si, ^05

739

530I 82 5

' 284

rr 2,207

H<;cd5,

nurabci

146,375

ir.ooo

157.375

5 r Country made,

gallon

-1.712

470.35

280,17c

2.214

94,91

53,702

40c

19,530

6.957

222

17.930

941.115

;c Foreign dinille.l,
* {Co,Ahk,

do
• do

26,79

27,09

2i<

12.755

2.396

2S5

9+t

277

84,050
223

, HMks.

nurabe

„

674

(\ -

973

oj Bridles,

, J

67'

869

^ Coach Harners,

felt

•? Ivv.ggon Gecrs,

150

152

SRoM,

pair

93'

3.79

2,26s

■6

1,047

12^

13-

8,738

Soap,

boxe

179

106

btatch,

pound

1,00

1 -

3.920

4,920

3 I

4i8

ISTRACT OF GOODS,

yr. EXPORTED.

S T

,Y T E S.

■§

Total of

-S

■1

eacharticle.

■^
§

"§

Snuff,

do.

21!

2,260

4,65c

1.050

.,000

702

l,V

10,042

Salt,

bu(l,cl

1,002

3°7

35c

'.955

Spruce. Effencc c

f gallo,,

2 2!-.

256

StccI,

pound..

4.36b

4,95s

9.356

Silk, raw,

eheft

Silver,

ounce-

276

2-6

■^ 1

Garden,
Cotton,

boxct

bulTiel

100

-Calf in Hair,

numb.

Elk,

Bear,
Seal,

do.
do.

270
4,Soo

■"4.53'

*-'

35'
19.336

Sheep,

do.

■ .6;

■6j

do.

44+

444

i)<;

Deer Skins, \

pound-

3'f

4,8? 1

."2,858

54.S67

34.675

50.765

158,367

packag.-

.56

162

479

S29

Beaver,

Otter,

Sable,

Tyger, Fox, Mi

Skins and Furs

do
ik, &c. do
nknown, package.^

ed, pounds

5C0
.04

337

^5
3.;c

37''

85
t

4,700
610

40S
929

«-" {SS'

I10,52(

.,429

.05

l^^o

^:^ - '

28,292

61,203

3.54f

5,21.0

S.471

.12,428
117.874

Tallow,

7,40c

.30,856

2,994

6,822

. '

4,600

IC2,622

Tow Cloth,

yards

540

.,660

3S'

3.833

Twine

pounds

6.2

612

Tin Manufaaur

d, dozens

fBohca,

chefts

5 J Souchong,

^75

bi 1 Hyfon,

274

s6o

1,19s

I Other green.

Vinegar,
Vamilh,

farrel

5.331

■

. *'°

■

5,8'-

^ r Madeira,

gallon

809

4.793

" 694

9.3 '3

3,810

74?

1.071

45°

420I 32,145

S { Other Wines,

..,.28

3. '54

.2,044

i.,38c

5.556

33,262

(.Bottled,

dozen

■

359

500

419

.ACT OF GOODS, tfr.

EXPORTED.

S T

w r L

"£

■^

■g

Total c

-s

i§

■t^

■9

.«

each artic

- ! Kee.

pound'

500

8,222

602

9'. 542

9'). '35

20,332

30,685

2,846

49,784

16c

299.3

i: 1 M nic,

do,

«umhcT

500

240

2
5<:

I'lK L r' N Plinl ,
(Jil nr L . lo ,. Plank,

feei

do.
do,

7>+57'!oc
330,650
10,400

28,114,375

3S0.9S5
264,87.1

281,676

577'°S3
18,852

^iii;r6o

89,000

'■583.222
17.120
4,000

3.3«5

500,679

829,126

.4,303,45.

717.210

3,484,488

36'.433

5..3.6,.
824,0
3 '5'?:

•,u-,n.l,ns,,

do.

5^5-35'

21,440

4,00c

286,020

l8,oor.

;,,8.4

359-737

307.750

1,632,949

499,814

2,160,630

5.867,5

T.mber

do.

2J.1.S73

14,40°

6s,ooc

40,000

55.. 78

31,000

1,864,299

2.323.4

(onj

539

18,24c

3S7

■9.39

pieces

6.7+5

3. '37

4.477

178

54'

654

2,570

18^3-

Usnumw,!,

16.4.0

56.. 0.0

,0.0.0

58,0.0

39-7-°

iSo!i

D,e Woods, 1

piece

1.3.C

12.5.2

28.100
965

160.10.0

17.0.0

32.. 5.0

2J2.3

9«

MaxcianJ Heading,

numbe

1,250,100

5>257-475

277,950

1,124,84;

5,565,590

48,4.2

2,814,634

37. '5°

1,731,067

7,419,823

2,291,089

512,550

866,527

29,ig7,3c

Shinjjles,

i,2og,ooo

14,386,700

325,80c

2,200,700

1,210,000

2,789,17:

2 2^;,000

2,629,550

".873.935

27,456,80.

2.573,500

4,644.704 7'.637.8

Hoops and Poles,

36,150

1.232.4*1

3'4.'8i.1

573.6°S

144,550

16,125

84,460

88,525

27 34°

4^.844

2,500

2.563.3

bhakcs,

I. +5 9

3^.634

..9.6

S.'33

2,065

1,608

S;o

47.6

Calks,

492

458

295

1,24

MalU,

Bo«fp,its,

Oars and Oar raftcrsi

do
•do

2'j25

2,565
32,070

_ 790

257

57'

■ 87,

2.44

'25

3'75
3i'.H

Hand-Spikes,

7,. .8

■35

9.622

7,840

3.552

4.452

336

33.7-

Pumps,

rioxcs and Brakes,

niocks,

5,08s

666

120

550

6,4

1 leenail ,

2,00c

9,50c

21,000

34.!<:

( cdirmd Oak Knees,

Uich.r I , s,
I ' , P 1 .

36s

'. '°

;

9-'

- '""''

1,0,

'|,.Us i KUks,

dozen

57s

35"

7,06,

888

S,eC

Mali H.Mj.,

-lokt. and L3>is for Oxen,

fert

182

Lock bt .ks.

numbe

3, 1 or

3.":

LCordsot\Sood,

i>o;3

I,.

ABSTRACT OF GOODS, £5"^. EXPORTED.

STATE S. 1 .•

1
J
5

-4
1

Tolal
eachartic

^CordsofOak.Bark, number
Oak Bark grounj, hcgllieads
Frames of Houfo, number
Wheel- Ba.-rrows, do.
Corn-Fans do.
Carl-Wheels, pairs
Spinning-Wheels, numbe
Worm-Tubs, do.

^Tub>, Pails, Di(hes, &c. dozens

74
176

;

2,876

37
-

Value of Goods, Wares and Merchandize exported from each State.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE
MASSACHUSETTS
RHODE-ISLAND
CONNECTICUT ~
NEW-YORK - -
NEW-JERSEY -
PENNSyLVANIA -

Dolhn. Dollars.

181,407 DELAWARE '33,972

2,889,922 MARYLAND 2,550,258

^98,084 VIRGINIA 3,549,+99

. 749,925 NORTH-CAROLINA 5'^3.294

2,528,085 SOUTH-CAROLINA 2,917,979

23,524 GEORGIA ■- - . , - - - 458,973

3,820,640 ■

Dollars 21,005,558

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Februai
TENCH COXE,

421

CHAPTER XIII,

A RETURN OF THE IMPORTS INTO THE UniTED StATES, FOR
ONE YEAR, ENDING ON THE 30th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, I 79O.

OODS, fubjed to 5 per cent, ad valorem, 13,044,82490

Ditto, 7I per cent.

862,977 76

Ditto, 10 per cent.

624,674 59

Ditto, I2| per cent.

0 0

Ditto, 15 per cent.

3,619 4

Spirits, of Jamaica proof,

gallons.

610,703

Other diftilled fpirits,

do.

3,067,496

Madeira wine,

do.

256,691

Other wines.

do.

607,561

Beer, ale or porter, in caflis,

do.

70,564

MolafTes,

do.

5,900,128

Brown fugar, ^

pounds.

17,380,746

Loaf fugar.

do.

132,837

Other fugars,

do.

177,279

Coffee,

do.

4»oi3'355

Cocoa,

do.

896,946

Tallow candles.

do.

i5'i57

Wax and fpermaceti candles,

do.

4,224

Cheefe,

do.

88,771

Soap,

do. ;

24,120

Nails and fpikes.

do.

i>579>947

Snuif,

do.

2,198

Indigo,

do.

32,283

Cotton, [this article being free.

there is no account of it kept

by the colledlors.]

Tobacco manufactured,

do.

3,182

422

■5^1"

Bohea tea,

do.

1,502,995

Souchong and other black teas.

do.

378,032

Hyfon,

do.

631,310

't.

Other green teas,

do.

89*515

InAtr,

fro

Bohea tea,

do.

298,768

Souchong, &c.

do.

7i»354

^ §
^5^

Hyfon,

do.

i5>736

Other green teas,

do.

9,212

Bohea Tea,

do.

9,612

Souchong, &c.
Hyfon,

do.
do.

4,498
4,644

Other green teas,

do.

2,J28

Cables,

cwt.

6^^ I 10

Tarred cordage, '

do.

5257 2 5

Untarred do. and yarn,

do.

900 3 14

Twine or packthread.

do.

609 2 8

Steel unwrought,

do.

5,427 I 2

Beer, ale, porter or cider, in bottles.

dozens,

17,746

Wool and cotton cards.

do.

780

Salt,

bufhels.

2>337'920

Coal,

do.

181,885

Playing cards.

packs.

19,066

Pickled fifh,

barrels.

3468

Dried li(h.

quintals

3,884-3 12

Shoes, flippers, &c. of leather,

pairs.

49,003

Ditto, of filkorftufF,

do.

20,701

Boots,

do.

746

421

CHAPTER XIII.

A RETURN OF THE IMPORTS INTO THE UniTKD StATES, FOR
ONE YEAR, ENDING ON THE 30Lh DAY OF SEPTEMBER, I 79O.

OODS, fubjed to 5 per cent, ad valorem, :

13,044,824 90

Ditto, 7t per cent.

862,977 76

Ditto, 10 per cent.

624,674 59

Ditto, I2| per cent.

0 0

Ditto, 15 per cent.

3,619 4

Spirits, of Jamaica proof,

gallons,

610,703

Other diftilled fpirits,

do.

3,067,496

Madeira wine.

do.

256,691

Other wines.

do.

607,561

Beer, ale or porter, in caflcs,

do.

70,564

~ Molafles,

do.

5,900,128

Brown fugar,

pounds,

17,380,746

Loaf fugar.

do.

132,837

Other fugars,

do.

177,279

Coffee,

do.

4.01 3'355

Cocoa,

do.

896,946

Tallow candles.

do.

15,157

Wax and fpermaceti candles,

do.

4,224

Cheefe,

do.

88,771

Soap,

do.

24,120

Nails and fpikes.

do.

i»579v947

Snuff,

do.

2,198

Indigo,

do.

32,283

Cotton, [this article being free.

there is no account of it kept

by the collectors.]

Tobacco manufadtured,

do.

3,182

42:

Bohea tea,

do.

1,502,995

i 3

Souchong and other black teas,

do.

378,032

Hyfon,

do.

631,310

•^

Other green teas,

do.

89>5i5

2 5

Bohea tea,

do.

298,768

s 3
^2'

^ Souchong, &c.

do.

71.^354

^ §
^.^

Hyfon,

do.

i5'736

Other green teas,

do.

9,212

1 Bohea Tea,

do.

9,612

jj ^^ 1 Souchong, dec.

do.

4,498

^^. Hyfon,
** J Other green teas,

do.

4,644

do.

2,528

Cables,

cwt.

6^S I 10

Tarred cordage,

do.

5257 2 5

Untarred do. and yarn,

do.

900 3 14

Twine or packthread,

do.

609 2 8

Steel unwrought,

do.

5,427 I 2

Beer, ale, porter or cider, in bottles.

dozens,

17.746

Wool and cotton cards.

do.

780

Salt,

bufhels,

2,337,920

Coal,

do.

181,885

Playing cards,

packs,

19,066

Pickled fifh,

barrels,

3468

Dried fifh.

quintals

3,884 3 12

Shoes, flippers, &c. of leather,

pairs.

49,003

Ditto, of filk or ftuff,

do.

20,701

Boots,

do.

74S

•<

>•

•J

-1

OL,

r>-

H
Oi

o
z

■-]

'1 V 1 0 X §

0 0 '4-r--r^l--r^P< rnvO CX> OO --i-
i-i tJ-OO 0 t^ 0^^ OsvO 0 N ■* u^

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'UlVJUg-lV^AQ

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ro ^ J^

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to N^ N

p^Jiufl 10 '■p^xij^

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b~vo~

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00
to

o»

t^'<4-'cOP»t<MP<SO

'S3}VJ^ p3]lUfl

<3\oo w <o n --i- r^ - 06 0 to t^ 0

►- P» r» -" ri PI 00 -^ 0 -^ ro«^v/^
»^ r^ *^^ ^"^ ON — \o >y^0O t-- p<
rO'+-0>000 v^pTTftCco^ONw
«1^ rO'<1- i^ ^ThM"-

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Himnniii ^

".t o 2 S

423

<!
U

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ID "J

w >

ac :;;

2 o"

< ON

Q w

H o

•1 V X O JL

•vifn^j

CO C\ 3N a^ O vn

f^ ly-i u-> r^ r>^

-. i-H in 1^ O ci ^ CTv o r^ '■'^ O
O ■4- r-- r»i r -o f< -'^.O 00 SO rh
rj-eo C I-- C^O 0\C O p» rt- ^y^

I ^

•i'/,7«Y

'.?p3crh^

•>I.>.VUIU3(J

a I I I I I

3 ! 1 1 < • I 1 1 1 1 1 C^ <

fUV JVlA?4lUJ

Tons.

292.9

509

'JV^TJIMJ

CI I I » vo • 00 '

,° r^ O

'spuvf

■^eo d\oo
ec o "^ ON •

r-v

rt-

r^ c>

'uivcfS

•4-

■^

0 •

■+ •

0 '

vy^ i-t

»^

ON >H

-f

«"

■* 0

t«

•pupjajj

• '

fO ro

00 -

8 .

1-^

t>.

0 0

00 CO

r- Tt-

r«-) t^

«>> M

l-<

Ti- r-

•UlVJUq'lViJQ

C
0

vy^

00
"1

00 N

0 C« c^

fO ON r^vO
ro OnvO r-

«0

0 ►^

fovo ^

0 v>

U-l

« ""

rryjj

I I CO I I I

•j^/r;-? p^'jur^

O vnOvO t^Tt-rr)c4 c^

OnOO vO f«j':ht~^-00>O cor-~0
-r^fi-fMeJoO^O^o-, r-u-
iTN r^ irvvO 00 ON — vc i^OO J^ -■

o"^Cts

P
I

^
s

^ T E M B E F
Tot.

Tons, 9

13,02
i72,of

29,11

28,7/

46,62
5>23

41547''
42>75
3o»7l
27,1

7»7'

■12.67

-68.31
'38.28

-579.26504,0

S r yl T E S.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE

MASSACKKETTS

RHODE-ISLAND

CONNECTICUT

NEW-YORK

NEW-JERSEY

PENNSYLVANIA

DEL.AWARE

i! miyland
Virginia

NORTH-CAROLINA
SOUTH-CAROLINA

CEjRGIA

TOTA

Tcm.<);ll„- Dots. Cli

10,893

96,564.2^1

I9>196-;0'

19,728.63!

40.334-+7

50,327.64'
4,610.23
33.375- "ij
32,04'- 6
23.962.75
".497-55J
7.063.40'
i6l,75428:

6j,
5.822.98!
...S..84i
1.183.7^
2,720.85
72.79
3.234-3+

276.61^
2,029.34
1,922.36;
1.437.80.
'•349-75

423.80
2,276.54

«v DtPA

Toiu.cjyi,. Dolt. Cli.

.,560.

46,063.94

9.103-1
8,09s./
5.-25
4.567-92
3.923-40
1,187
7,836.16
10,636.60
6,796.3
4,675.38
733-

10,906.77

!,767.56
546-25:

487.70
343-3S

638.77
43S.56.
280.77
43-9S

6,691.67:

\OSTR.\CT OF
United State

CHAPTER XV.

ARISING ON THE TONNAGE OF VESSELS ENTERED INTO THE»UniTED St

r.m.95/&. Dots. Cl,.

29,560.27
8IO.S7

9'3-32

37-74
.774-7°:
48.65I
54.80
34- 3

264
404.57
88.18

436-79
339- 5

March c^th^ 179

357-25
207. IS
218.42

169.5:
I95.S2

ift OF October 1790, to 30tli September lygi

1,386
2.495-93

3,966.71
25.154-47

7,327.4s

■40-371
1,983.23
17,576.56

13,664.12
i.9'3-24^ 956.62
18,215.5; 9.107-7S
44.812. 9 22,406.70
13,662.59 6,831.3,1
20,827.80 10,413.47
16,165.75 8,082.88

59-59
243

3.744- 3 2
EPH NOURSE,

Doh.cn.romcjiihDds. a

Os-S°

266.61 25I.SS

- i .63

294-50 1.372-47

36.50

=8.11 ,94.68 97.36

_J ' 243.88 121.96

,576.44 3.S90-54 '.945-27:

Tom.g^lhsWds. Cis.

248.50
97-25

13,02s
172,084.5
29,110.81
28,740.48

5,234.69
53,186.24

5.797-23
41,478.74
42,750.42
30.759'
27.197-93

7.796-

504,061.76

;8i.68
0,359.13
1,729-90
1,726.22.1
3,098.26

302.94
3,405.87

347.831'
2.53>-23{
2,565.50
1,876.37
.,632. 2

467-76

24.' 3 1
516.45
4„26.56
39.544-

888.40
12,046.60

2,063.14!
'9.44S-

33,586.7, ,6,686.85

,076.24] 1,038,

354-55 io,699-22-
47,665.

14,309. 7 7,019.54^

25,767.79' 12,883.38

17,122.45! 8,561.20

30,824.72-! 233,013.82 114,522.75

14,840
196,215.93

29,627.30

32,867. 9
86,1

5,234,69
86,773

7.873.47
64.103.34
90,416.33

52.965-77
24,919

1,670. 8
22.405-73;
1,970.50
3.789-37
22,546.34
302.94
0,092.73
'.385-95 f
3.230-46;
25.5 '3- 9

45,068.18 8,895.91!
14,515.40
9,028.96

737.075-63 ■45.347-47*

427

CHAPTER XVL

CONTAINING A SUMMARY STATEMENT OF THE PRINCIPAL
FACTS, WHICH CHARACTERIZE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,
AND THEIR COUNTRY OR TERRITORY.

THE people of the United States have explod-
ed thofe principles, by the operation of
which religious oppreflions and reftriQions of
whatever defcription, have been impofed upon
mankind, and, rejeftingmere toleration, they have
placed upon one common and equal footing every
church, fe6t or fociety of religious men.

They have exploded, in like manner, thofe prin-
ciples, by the operation of which, civil oppreflions
have been inflided upon mankind; and they have
made an unexceeded progrefs in their praftice upon
the principles of free government.

While the fermentations of a civil and revolu-
tionary conteft were yet operating upon their
minds, amidft the warmth of feeling incidental to
that ftate of things, they have recently examined
with.fober attention the imperfedions of their na-
tional and fubordinate civil eftablifhments : they
refleded, with due ferioufnefs, on the numerous
inconveniencies, which thofe imperfections had
produced, and upon the awful fcenes in which they

3 N

428

would probably be called upon to fuffer or to aB,
if their civil conftitutions fhould continue un-
amended : and they have fince exhibited to the
world the new and interefting fpeQacle of a whole
people, meeting, as it were, in their political plain
and voluntarily impojing upon themfelves the whole-
Jome and necejjary rejlrainis of jujl government.

On two occafions, at the diftance of four years,
perfonal chara6ter and the public interefts have
produced an orderly and unanimous eleEtion of the
chief magijlrate of the United StateSy without one,
even the fmallett, effort or meafure of pro-
curement.

During four years, the fecond ftation of execu-
tive public employment and all of the third* grade
have remained in the fame hands, nor have any
changes taken place in the more fubordinate, but
a few from voluntary refignations and death.

The public debt is fmaller in proportion to the
prefent wealth and population of the United
States than the public debt of any other civilized
nation.

The United States (including the operations of
the individual ftates) have funk a much greater
proportion of their public debt in the laft ten years,
than any other nation in the world.

* A. D. 1793.

429

The expences of the government are very much
lefs, in proportion to wealth and numbers, than
thofe of any nation in Europe.

There is no land tax among the national reve-
nues, nor is there any interior tax, or excife u|)on
food, drink, fuel, lights, or any native or foreign
manufadure, or native or foreign produ6lion, ex-
cept a duty of about four pence flerling upon do-
meftic diftilled fpirits*. The greateft part of the
public burdens are paid by an import duty on fo-
reign goods, which being drawn back on exporta-
tion, it remains only on what is aQually confumed.
It is in that view the lowed in the world, and ope-
rates greatly in favour of American manufadures.

Trade has been encouraged by a drawback of
all the import duty on foreign goods, when they
are exported, excepting only a very few com-
modities of a particular nature, which are not de-
fired to be much imported into, or confumed in
the United States.

A national mint is eftablifhed under the direc-
tion of the ableft praQical man in the arts and fci-
ences which this country contains — David Ritten-
houfe. It is provided by law that the purity and
intrinfic value of the filver coin fhall be equal to
that of Spain, and of the gold coins to thofe of the
ftri6left European nations. The government of

* A. D. 1793.

43^

the United States foregoes all profit from the coin-
age : a political and wholefome forbearance.

The banks eftabliflied in the feveral cities of Phi-
ladelphia, New- York, Bofton, Baltimore, Charlef-
ton, Alexandria, Sec. divide a profit of feven and
an half to eight and an half per cent, per annum*
at prefent, which is paid half yearly.

The intereft of the public debt of the United
States is paid quarter yearly with a punQuality ab-
folute and pcrfe6l. There is no tax on property
in the funds and banks.

The fhipbuilding of the Uuited States was great-
er in the year 1792, than in any former year fince
the feitlement ol the country, and it is much great-
er in (he current vear, than it was in the laft.
Genprally fpeaking, the art of fhipbuilding was
never lo well underftood, never fo well executed,
nor was there ever a time when fo many of the
manutattures requifite for the furniture, tackle, ap-
parel and arming of veffels were made in the
United States.

The value of the manufa6lures of the United
States is certainly greater than double the value of
their exports in native commodities.

The value of the manufactures of the United
States, is much greater than the grofs value of all

* More might be faid with truth.

43*

their imports, including the value of goods export-
ed again.

The manufaftures of the United States confift
generally of articles of comfort, utility, and necef-
fity. Articles of luxury, elegance, and fliew are
not raanufaftured in America, excepting a few
kinds.

The manufaQures of the United States have in-
creafed very rapidly fince the commencement of
the revolutionary war, and particularly in the laft
five years.

Houfehold manufaftures are carried on within
the families of almoft all the farmers and planters,
and of a great proportion of the inhabitants of the
villages and towns. This praBice is increafing un-
der the animating influences of private interell and
public fpirit.

The exports of the United States have increaf-
ed in the laft two years about fourteen per cent.*

Thofe exports confift in a great degree of the moft
necefiary food of man and working animals, and of
raw materials, applicable to manufactures of the
moft general utility and confumption.

* In the laft three years they hive increafed from eighteen mil-
lions and one quarter : to twenty-fix millions of dollars. Septem-
ber 30tb, 1793.

432

There is not any duty upon the exportation of
the produce of the earth, nor can fuch duty be im-
pofed on any exported commodities : the exporta-
tion of produce may be fufpendcd or prohibited.

Produce and all other merchandize may be free-
ly exported in the ftiips and vefTcls of all nations
(not being alien cnemie^j \vithout dilcrimination.

The exports of the United States are five times
the amount of the national taxes and duties*.

The amount of the outward freight of the fhips
and veflels of the United States, at this time, is
probably equal to all their national taxes and du-
ties. The inward freight is confiderable. The
earning of the fifhing vcfTels, in lieu of freight, are
alfo confiderable. The coafting freights are great-
er in value than both the laft.

All fhips and veflels depart from the United
States, fully laden, excepting a part of the Eaft
India traders.

A large quantity of tonnage is employed in the
coafting trade.

A confiderable quantity of tonnage is employed
in the cod and whale fifheries.

The imports of the United States are lefs in va-
lue than the exports, deducing the outward freights

* They prove to be nearly fix times. Sept. 30th, 1793.

433

oF their own fhips (which are returned in goods)
the nett fales of their fhips to foreigners, the pro-
perty imported by migrators from foreign coun-
tries, and the public impoft.

• The very great proportion of the imports, which
confifts of manufaBures, (and from raw materials,
which America can produce) affords conftant and
inviting opportunities to leflen the balance againfl
the United States, in their trade with one foreign
country, holds out a certain home market tofkilful
and induflrious manufafturers in America, and
gives promifes to the landholder and farmer, of a
very increafing demand for their produce, in which
they cannot be deceived.*

The imports of the United States, for confump-
tion, have not been fwelled in proportion to the in-
creafe of their population and wealth. The reafon
is, the conjlant introduBion of new branches of
manufaBurey and the great extenfion of the old
branches.

The imports, for confumption, into the United
States are compofed of manufaftures in a much lefs
proportion than heretofore, owing to the fame two
caufes.

The imports of the United States have almofl
ceafed to exhibit certain articles of naval and mili-

* Witnefs the fteady price of our produce, during the embar*
go. A. D. 1794.

434

tary fupply, and others of the greateft utility and
confumption, owing alfo to the fame two caufcs.

The imports of the United States, confift in a
fmall degree of necefl'aries, in a great degree of
articles of comfortable accommodation, and in fome
degree of luxuries: but the exports confift chiefly
of prime necefl'aries, with fome articles of mere
comfort and utility, and fome of luxury. The fol-
lowing will be found to be the quantities of fome of
the principle articles of exportation from the Unit-
ed States, during the year, ending in September,
1792.

3,145,255 bufhels of grain and pulfe (princi-
pally wheat, Indian corn, rye,
beans and peas.

44,752 horfes, horned cattle, mules, hogs
and flieep.

1,469,723 barrels of flour, meal, bifcuit, and
rice, reducing cafks of various
fizes, to the proportion of flour
barrels.

146,909 barrels of tar, pitch, turpentine and
rofin.

116,803 barrels of beef, pork, mutton, fau-
fages, oyfters, tripe, &c. reduc-
ing caflcs of various fizes, to the
proportion of beef and pork bar-
rels.

435

231,77^ barrels of dried and pickled fifh,
reducing them to barrels of the
fame fize.
948,115 gallons of fpirits, diflilled in the
United States.
7,823 tons, 12 cwts. and 14 lbs. of pot-
afties and pearl-afhes.
112,428 hogfheads of tobacco.
60,646,861 feet of boards plank, and fcantling.
19,391^ tons of timber.
18,374 pieces of timber.
1,080 cedar and oak fliip knees.
71,693,863 fhingles.
31,760,702 ftaves and hoops.
191 frames of houfes.
73,3 1 8 oars, rafters for oars, and handfpikes.
48,860 (hook or knock-down calks.
52,382 hogfheads of flax feed.*

The imports of the United States are now gene-
rally brought dire6lly (and not circuitioufly) from
the countries which produced or manufa6lured
them — China, India proper, the iflesof Bourbon and
Mauritius, Good Hope, the fouthern fettlements
of America and the Weft-Indies, the Wine iflands.

* The exports of the year of which the above are a part,
amounted to 2 7 ,000,000 of Dollars — but the exports of the next
following year (ending on the 30th September, 1793) amounted
to 5,000,000 more, being 26,000,000 of Dollars. Provifions and
raw materials have greatly increafed. Of flour alone there were
ftiippcd 1,013,000 caflcs. See paper Y. Book 2d.

3 o

43^

the countries on the Mediteranean and Baltic Seas-,
Great-Britain and Ireland. France, the Nether-
lands and Germany, Spain and Portugal.

Lefs than half the fhips and veffels belonging to
the United States, are iufficient to tranfport all the
commodities they confume or import.

Their citizens may be lawfully concerned in any
branch of foreign trade, whether carried on from
the United States or from any other country.*

Their commerce is diverfified and profperous,
and confifts in importing for their own confump-
tion, and for exportation ; in the exporting, the
coalting and inland trades; the Indian trade ; ma-
nufactures, (hipping, the fifheries, banking, and in-
furances on Ihips, cargoes, and houfes. There is
no branch of commerce foreign or domeftic, in
which every diflrid, city, port, and individual, is
not equally entitled to be interefted.

The lawful intereft of money is fix per cent, per
annum in moft of the ftates: in a few it is feven
per cent, in one it is five per cent.

The commanders and other officers of the Ame-
rican fhips are deemed fkilful and judicious; from
which caufe, combined with the goodne fs of their

* Except the ilave tr^de, March 1 794.

437

fhips and of their equipment, infurances upon their
veflels are generally made in Europe, upon the
moft favourable terms, compared with the corref-
ponding rifques on board of the veffels of other
nations.

The feparate American flates (with one fmall
exception) have aboliftied the (lave trade, and they
have in fome inftances abolifhed negro flavery ; in
others they have adopted efficacious meafures for
its certain but gradual abolition. The importation
of flaves is difcontinued, and can never be renew-
ed To as to interrupt the repofe of Africa, or en-
danger the tranquility of the United States. The
fteady ufe of efficacious alteratives is deemed pre-
ferable to the immediate application of more ftrong
remedies in a cafe of fo much momentary and in-
trinfic importance.

The clothes, books, houfehold furniture, and
the tools or implements of their trade or profeffion,
brought by emigrators to America, are exempted
from the import duty, and they may begin their
commerce, manufaQures, trades or agriculture on
the day of their arrival upon the fame footing as a
native citizen.

There is no greater nor other tax upon foreign-
ers or their property in the United States, than
upoa native citizens.

All foreign jurifdi6lion in ecclefiaftical matters
is inconfiftent with the laws and conftitutions of

43^

the United States; and with the fettled judgment
of the people.

Almoft every known chriftian church exifts in
the United States; as alfo the Hebrew church.
There has not been adifpute between any two feds
or churches fince the revolution. There are no
tythes. Marriage and burial fees, fmall glebes,
land-rents, pew-rents, monies atinterell and volun-
tary contributions are the principal means of fup-
porting the clergy. Many of them are alfo pro-
feflors and teachers in the UTiiverfities, colleges,
academies and fchools, for which interelling fta-
tions, pious and learned minifters of religion are
deemed particularly fuitable. There is no provi-
fion in the epifcopal, prefbyterian or independent
church for any clerical perfon, or charaQer above
a reBor, or minifter of the gofpel — and this is ge-
nerally, if not univerfally the cafe. There are
fome affiftant minifters, but no curates, or vicars :
alfo feveral biftiops without falaries.

The poor taxes in the United States are very
fmall, owing to the facility, with which every man
and woman, and every child, who is old enough
to do the lighteft work, can procure a comfortable
fubfiftence. The induftrious poor, if frugal and
fober, often place themfelves, in a few years, above
want.

Horfes and cattle, and other ufeful beafts, im-
ported for breeding, are exempted by law from the
import duty.

439

All the lands in the United States are free iVom
tythes.

The medium annual land rents of Europe are
greater per acre than the medium purchafe is in the
United States; including in the eftimate the value
of the old improved farms in America, and the
great mafs of unimproved lands.*

The military regulations and articles of war in
the United States, are well calculated to maintain
that drift difcipline and thorough fubordination,
which are indifpenfible to the efficiency of an army.
All the officers of the land and fea-forces are, by
the conftitution appointed by the prefident, with
the advice and confent of the fenate.

The produ61:ion and manufaQures of military
fupplies and articles, enable the United States to
derive from their own refources, fhips of war,
gun -powder, cannon and muflvct-balls, fhells and
bombs, cannon and carriages, muflvcts, rifles and
cutlaffes, grapnals, anchors, fail cloth, cordage,
iron, lead, cartouch-boxes, fword-behs, cartridge-
paper, faddles, bridles and holfters, foldiers' and
failors hats, buckles, fhoes and boots, leathern
breeches, naval ftores, flieathing paper, malt and
fpirituous liquors, manufactured tobacco, loap,
candles, lard, butter, beef, pork, bacon, hams,

* A. D. 1793.

440

peas, bifcut, and flour, and other articles for the
land or marine fervice.

The education of youth has engaged a great
fhare of the attention of the legiflatures of the
ilates.

Night fchools for young men and boys, who are
employed at labour or bufinefs in the day time,
have been long and beneficially fupported, and the
idea of Sunday fchools has been zealoufly adopted
in fome places^ Free fchools for both fexes have
been increafed. Greater attention, than hereto-
fore, is paid to female education.

The people of the United States are ingenious
in the invention, and prompt, and accurate in the
execution of mechanifm and workmanfhip for pur.
pofes in fcience, arts, manufaBures, navigation, and
agriculture. Rittenhoufe's planetariurrt; Frank-
lin's eleQrical conduQor, Godfrey's quadrant im-
proved by Hadley, Rumfey's and Fitch's fteam-en-
gines, Lefiie's rod pendulum and other horological
inventions, the conlhutlion of fliips, the New-Eng-
land whale-boat, the conftruQion of flour-mills,
the wire-cutter and bender for card makers, Fol-
fom's and Brigg's machinery for cutting nails out
of rolled iron, the Philadelphia dray with an inclin-
ed plane, Mafon's engine for extinguifliing fire,
the ConneBicut ftecple clock, which is wound up
by the wind, the Franklin fire-place, the Ritten-
houfe (love, Andcrfon's threfhing machine, Ritten-

441

houfe's inftrument for taking levels, Donnaldfon's
hippopotamos and balance lock, and Wynkoop's
underlators, are a few of the numerous examples.

It is probable, that all the jewels and diamonds
worn by the citizens of the United States, their
"wives and daughters are lefs in value than thofe
which fometimes form a part of the drefs of an in-
dividual in feveral countries of Europe. All capi-
tal Jlock is kept in aBion. There are no defcrptions
of men in America and very few individuals, at the
aftive times of life, who live without fome purfuit
of bufinefs, profeffion, occupation, or trade. All
the citizens are in aBive habits.

No country of the fame wealth, intelligence and
civilization, has fo few menial fervants (ftri6lly
fpeaking) in the families of perfons of the greateft
property.

Family fervants and farming fervants, who emi-
grate from Europe, and who continue foberly and
induftrioufly in family or farm fervice, for one, two
or three years, very often find opportunities to bet-
ter their fituations, by getting into fome little com-
fortable line of dealing, or trade, or manufaQuring,
or farming, according to their education, know-
ledge and qualifications.

America has not many charms for the diffipated
and voluptuous part of mankind, but very many in-
deed for the rational, fober minded and difcreet.

442

It is a country which affords great opportunities of
comfort and profperity to people of good property,
and thofe of moderate property, and to the induf-
trioiis and honejl poor ; a fingular and pleafing proof
of^vvhich laft aflertion is, that there are very Jew y if
an)\ day labourers^ in the city and liberties of Phila-
delphia^ of the Quaker church. That religious fo-
ciety is very numerous, but the fobriety, induftry,
and frugality which they praQice, enables their
poor quickly to improve their condition, in a coun-
try fo favourable to the pooreft members of the
community.

That part of the tradefmen a ndmanufaBurers,
who live in the country, generally refide on fmall
lots and farms, of one acre to twenty, and not a
few upon farms of twenty to one hundred and fifty
acres, which they cultivate at leifure times, with
their own hands, their wives, children, fervants
and apprentices, and fometimes by hired labourers,
or by letting out fields, for a part of the produce,
to foine neighbour, who has time or farm hands not
fully employed. This union of manufaBures and
farming is found to be very convenient on the
grain farms, but it is ftill more convenient on the
grazing and grafs farms, where parts of almoft eve-
ry day, and a great part of every year, can be fpar-
ed from the bufinefs of the farm, and employed in
fome mechanical, handycraft, or manufaQuring bu-
finefs. Thefe perfons often make dcmefiic and
•farming carriages, implements and utenfils, build
houfes and barns, tan leather, raanufadure hats.

443

fhoes, hofiery, cabinet-work, and other articles of
clothing and furniture, to the great convenience
and advantage of the neighbourhood. In like man-
lier fome of the farmers, at leifure times and pro-
per feafons, manufa6lure nails, pot-a(hj pearl-afh,
ftaves and heading, hoops and handfpikes, axe-han-
dles, maple-fugar, &c. The mod judicious plan-
ters in the louthern ftates are induftrioufly inftruft-
ing their negroes, particularly the young, the old,
the infirm, and the females in manufadures — a
wife and humane meafure.

A large proportion of the mofl fuccefsful manu-
fa6lurers in the United States are perfons, who
were journeymen, and in a fewinftances were fore-
men in the work-fliops and manufadories of Eu-
rope, who having been fkilfull, fober and frugal, and
having thus faved a little money, have fet up for
themfelves with great advantage in America. Few
have failed to fucceed. There appears to be lead
opening for thofe, who have been ufed to make very
fine and coftly articles of luxury and fhew. There
js not fo much chance of fuccefs for thofe luxurious
branches, unlefs they are capable of being carriic^ on in
a conjiderable degree by machinery or water works; ia
which cafe they alfo will thrive if the neceffary ca-
pital be employed. — There is already fomc con-
lumption of thefe fine goods in America, and as free
an exportation of them (wjthoiit duty, or exciie) as
from any country in the world.

The views of the government of the United
States appear by its declarations, and by the ftrong-
3 P

444

elt prefumptive proofs to be the maintenance of
jjeacCy order^ liberty and fafeiy. Intrigues at foreign
courts and fecrct or open inierpofitions or inter-
meddling in the affairs of foreign countries, have
not been imputed to the government of -this nation.
They have not manifelled any inordinate ambition,
by feeking conqueji, alone or in unity with any
other nation, for they have not attempted to efta-
blifh or raife a great or unnecefTary navy * or army.

The United States have been prudently and un-
remitingly attentive to thofe objects, which enable
a country to purfue, to an happy and profitable if-
fue, unambitious, defenfive and neceifary wars.
Amidft an induftrious cultivation of the arts of
peace, they have maintained and improved the mi-
Utary organization of the whole majs of the able bodi-
ed citizens. They have reftored their public credit,
as an indifpenfible mean of war, and they have fuc-
cefsfully encouraged all thofe arts, by which the in-
flruments of naval and land armaments may be ex-
peditioufly procured and created. Their meafure
of retribution to their public creditors, foreign and
domeftic, has been confidered, by fome intelligent
citizens as even more than juftice required. From
an equal love of juftice, and from prudential con-
fiderations, they have, by a formal aQ: of the peo-

* The intended naval armament was manifeftly propofed to re-
ftrain the pirates of Barbary ; and the meafures relative to the ad-
ditional regular troops, the draught of mihtia, and fortifications
are obvioufly grounded on juftifiable caution and neceffary defence.
April 1794.

445

pie, fanaioned a treaty recognizing the claims of
the fubjefts of a foreign country againft whom an
infraction and non execution of the fame treaty
was alledged. Refraining mod fcrupuloufiy from
intrigues and influence in the affairs of foreign na-
tions it cannot be doubted, that they will be aware
of correfponding intrigues and influence in their
domeftic affairs, and that they will check the ap-
pearances of fuch attempts with difpleafure and ef-

fea.

BOOK II.

BOOK IL

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

THE preceding part of this work was prepared
for publication in the fummer of the laft
year; but the epidemic malady, which occurred in
Philadelphia, towards the end of that feafon, pre-
vented the execution of the defign at that time.
Some obfervations and documents have fince pre-
fented themfelves, and are intended to be com-
prifed in the fecond book. Moft of the latter are
calculated to render thefe views of our interefts
and capacities more particular and more clear.
The obfervations principally relate to the prefent
ftage of our affairs, and will therefore be the more
interefting, if they Ihall prove to be founded in
truth and reafon.

450

CHAPTER IL

REFLECTIONS UPON THE BEST MODES OF BRINGING THE
FOREST LANDS OF THE UnITED StATES INTO CULTIVA-
TION AND USE.

nr^ HERE remain at this time, in moft of the
-^ American ftates, extenfive trads of land,
covered with forefts, applicable to every purpofe
of human life, for which wood and timber are re-
quired. No country, fo well accommodated with
navigation and adapted to commerce and manu-
factures, pofTeffes as great a trcafure of the fame
kind. The manufadures, which can be made
immediately of wood, are no lefs numerous than
important. Ships, boats, mafts and fpars, oars,
band-fpikes, anchor-docks, calks and other coopers
ware of every fize and kind, cabinet wares, and
other houfehold furniture, farming and mechani-
calimplements and tools, ftaves, heading, hoops,
boards, plank, fcantling, joifts, fquare timber,
Ihingles, frames of houfes, turners wares, carriages
for pleafure and for draught, corn-fans, wheel bar-
rows, meafures, fcale plates, timber for machine-
ry and mills, cannon carriages, gun-ftocks and
other military implements for the fea and land fer-
vice are among the objeQs contemplated.

The manufaQures, to which wood is neceflary in
the form of fuel, are alfo numerous and important.

451

Glafs-houfes, potteries, dillilleries, brick-kilns, fur-
naces, forges, mills for rolling and flitting iron and
other metals, refineries of iugar, black-fmiths and
all other fmiths fhops are among the principal in-
ftances.

The manufaBures to produce whichj wood is re-
quifite for the making of afhes, are the great arti-
cles of (oft and hard foap, which are of univerfal
confumption and the very important articles of pot-
afh and pearl-afli.

To all thefe may be added the manufactory of
tanned leather, which demands the bark of various
and innumerable trees.

Of the wooden raw materials and fuel for thefe
invaluable and numerous manufaftures, the United
States poflefs, if we may fo fpeak, an immenfe and
unequalled magazine. They appear therefore to be
invited to eftablilh manufaBm^es in wood by the moft
weighty and obvious confiderations.

But when it is remembered, that this immenfe ma-
gazine of wooden materials and fuel will obftrutl,
for a time, the cultivation of millions of acres of
the beft lands, we muft feel another and a more
powerful impulfe to the adive promotion of manu-
fadures in wood. To enforce thefe general ideas
the following application of them in the manufac-
tory of pot-afhes is here offer'^d:
3 Q

A METHOD OF CLEARING A FARM LOT OF NEW WOODLAND^
EASILY PRACTICABLE BY PERSONS HAVING NO MORE MO_
NEY OR PROVISIONS THAN ARE SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE
THE FOOD AND CLOTHING OF THEIR F/AMILIES, DURING
THE FIRST YEAR OF THEIR SETTLEMENT.

ifl. The fettler in making this clearing muft take
care to burn the brufh and wood, in luch manner
as to preferve the afhes. Out of the wood afhes,
thus faved, he fhould make as much pot afh, or
pearl afli, as he can, and he fhould difpofe of this
for ready money, (Irong clothing, axes, fpades,
ploughs, or fuch other things for his farm, or fa-
mily, as it would otherwife be neceffary for him to
procure, by felling or bartering, grain or cattle,
if he had them to fpare. It is believed, that the
pot afli or pearl afh will procure him as much va-
lue as all the expence and labor of the clearing,
during the feafon would be worth in cafh. He
will therefore obtain as much money or goods as
will enable him to hire afTiflance, in the next fea-
fon, either to farm, or to clear land, or to make
his improvements, fo as to fave his own time, or
labor intirely, for clearing more land, or to help
him in doing it. He muft again make pot afh or
pearl afh, and he muft again apply the money or
goods, it fells for, to the clearing of the next fea-
fon.—In this way it is plain, that he will derive
money enough from the clearing and pot afhes, of
every year, to do much of the fame in the year fol-
lowing. A man who has 40, 50 or 100 dollars to
fpare, at the out-fet, will get his land cleared, in
this manner very faft indeed. If he has fugar ma-

453

pie trees on his land, he may alfo obtain money,
by making fugar in February and March, and
felling or bartering it for cafh, or goods to be
laid out in like manner, in hiring hands the next
feafon. If money is fcarce in a new fettlement, and
he barters pot afli or maple fugar, for ftrong trow-
fers, fhirts, hats or jackets, he will find it eafy to
procure laborers for fuch neceffaries. It is proper
to obferve, that if a man burns his wood and brufh
on every part of his newly cleared field, it is
doubtful whether he does not injure the foil, by
burning the half rotten leaves and light mould, or
earth, which have been made from the rotten leaves
of many years. — There is an opinion, that the
aflies left from burning the trees greatly enrich the
land, and that would be certain, if the light moul-
dy earth and half rotten leaves were not alfo con-
fumed by the fire. The foil of all new countries
appears to have for its upper part, a layer or flra-
tum of half rotten vegetable materials, which are
capable of being burned, but which it would be a
great benefit to plough into the earth. Potatoes,
the befl food for new fettlements, grow abundant-
ly in that rotten vegetable foil. This is very well
known.

It appears doubtful, whether the farmers in the
long cleared counties of New-England, New-
York, and New-Jerfey, do not injure themfelves
very much by making pot afh and pearl afh, coii-
Jidering how necejjary the wood aJJies are to manure
their farms, many of which are impoveriflied, and

454 ^

many naturally light. To carry the fodder and
litter from a farm to other places does not ap-
pear more improper. But that is allowed to be
very bad farming.

2dly. The above method of clearing lands, is
obvionfly important to people of large property,
who are defirous of improving their eUates and
their country, by clearing their lands expeditioufly.
They may elfeft it in two ways ; either — ift. by
fetiing up pot afh works, at their mills or country
(lores, or other central places, and buying wood-
afhes of the fettlers of new fertile lands, and
making them into pearl afiies, or pot afiies, and
then felling them for exportation ; or 2dly. by em-
ploying wood-cutters and other laborers, to fell
the trees, and oxen or horfes, with chains to bring
the wood together for burning, then collecting
the heaps of afhes and making pearl aflies, which
is a fimple and eafy operation. It is faid to be a
fa£l, and it is highly worthy of notice that the
expence of clearing an acre of land is fully and
completely reimburfed, by the nett fales of the pot
aflies or pearl aflies, which can be made from the
wood aflies, collefted after thus burning the trees —
Hence it would follow, that if a perfon of iub-
flance fliould purchafe one ihoufand acres of good
new wood land, at any fixed or given price, (for
example fifteen fhillings, fterling per acre*) and

* This price is mentioned, becaufe it is a low medium of
the land-rents of Europe, and becaufe great quantities of fine
lands, covered with woods, are yet to be purchafed, in America,
at and far under that price.

455

if he fhould be able, by force of money, in one
year to clear all the meadow land and half the
plough land, by making pot afhes or pearl afhes, in
the fecond mode above mentioned, he would im-
mediately raife his property in produQivenefs to
the level of the good cleared lands of Pennfylva-
nia, New-York, &c. that is to feven, eight, ten,
twenty, thirty and forty dollars per acre: for fuch
are the prices, according to the quality, advantages
of land and water carriages, and proximity to
towns and villages. The capital or money em-
ployed to make the pot or pearl alhes would be
replaced by the fales of them as above mentioned.
This operation^ when confidered upon a Jcale of
100,000 acreSy appears like a new creation of pro^
perty.

THE United States have been brought, by flow
degrees, to their prefent knowledge of the value of
their wood and timber. It is faid to be not more
tiian twenty-ftve years, fince the fouthern live oak
or ever-green oak has been ufed in fhip- building.
The importance of pot-afh is by no means duly un-
derltoodat this time, in feveral of the beft wooded
of thefe itates. The value of the maple fugar tree
is not yet univerfaliy known. It is faid, that the
Hemlock is capable of being made into fhingles fit
for home confumption or exportation, in a degree
which is not underftood ; and the white pine is

45^

more valuable, than is fuppofed, for the fame pur-
pofe. The fouthern pitch pine, and even the yel-
low pine have been fuppofed, of late years to be
more fuitable than white oak for beams, carlines,
fills, and other ftraight timbers for fhips and hou-
fes, in places liable to rapid decay. It is little
known, that it is as eafy in America to procure a
beam, for a fhip of war, of white oak or pitch pine,
in one entire piece, as it is difficult, in Great-Bri-
tain. The a6lual and progreffive fcarcity of all
the moft valuable kinds of timber in Europe has
been hitherto noticed in as fmall a degree, as the
diverfified and unequal refources of the United
States in that particular. The demand for wood
and timber throughout the world has been greatly
extended in the prefent century, by the increafe of
the aggregate tonnage of the fleets of public and
private fhips, by manufaftures in wood, and by
means of fire, and by the wonderful increafe in the
number and extent of the commercial and manu-
fafturing towrhs of Europe and America. The ton-
nage of the Britifli navy for exam,ple in 1694, bears
no comparifon to that of 1794, and their private
fhips have undergone a fimilar augmentation. The
whole mafs of the tonnage of the world is now im-
menfe. A defalcation of timber is percieved in
moft countries, and, in the manner of what has
been faid concerning grain, it may be fafcly affirm-
ed, that the unavoidable deficiencies of Ewopean
wood and timber can only be fupplied from America,
We fhall therefore rapidly arrive at the ufe of our
new lands, through the confumption of our forefts

'457

by the countries and colonies of the old world; and
the proceeds of our wood and timber in the mean
time will.be in lieu of the fales of grain and cattle.

The political importance of thefe great natural
productions (wood and timber) is manifeft and
flriking, in this ageof manufacturing, and mercantik
competition, and of naval rival-fhip and ambition.
The value of our forefts to the feekers of the car-
rying trade and of naval power is greatly increafed
by their yielding their pofleffors prodigious quan-
tities of tar, turpentine and pitch. It would be
unwife however, in the United States to negleCl the
due prefervation of their timber: and confidering
how obvioufly important it is, that we maintain an
abundant ftock, it is a comfortable refleftion, that
the prefent redundance and cheapnefs of American
lands enables us to effed the prefervation and repro-
duElion of our forefis with lefs inconvenience and
expence, than any other civilized nation.

458

CHAPTER III.

CONTAINING THE TARIFF OF THE UnITED StATES, FOR
THE INFORMATION OF MERCHANTS AND MANUFACTUR-
ERS.

IT has been frequently obferved in the courfe of
the preceding pages, that the duties laid for the
purpofe of revenue, on foreign manufaftures im-
ported into the United States, are a great encou-
ragement to fimilar articles, which are or fhall be
manufaQured in this country. It is indifpenfibly
neceflary to a view of our affairs, that the advan-
tages arifing from the American iiiipoft to the ma-
nufacturer of any domeftic fabric ftiould be dif-
tinBly exhibited. This will be mofl: eafily effeQed
by the following complete table of the duties pay-
able by law on all goods, wares and merchandize,
imported into the United States of America, af-
ter the laft day of June 1794, and of the articles
which are free from impoft. It may be proper to
obferve, that thefe duties are in the cafe of impor-
tations in veflels of the United States, and that the
rates are ten per cent, higher in foreign Ihips.

(For the Tariff fee the next page,)

459

APER

z.]

ARMS, fire and fide, not otherwife enu-
merated,

Apparatus, philofophical, efpecially im-
ported for any feminary of learning,

Ale, beer and porter, in cafks,

' in bottles.

Artificial flowers, feathers and other or-
naments for womens head dreffes,

Annifeed,

Articles of all kinds of the growth, pro-
duct OF manufa6lures of the United
States, fpirits excepted,

Anchors,

Brafs cannon, teutenague, and wire, fee
cannon,

' Iron or fteel locks, hinges, hoes, an-

vils and vizfs,

All other manufaftures of brafs.

Balls andbalfams (fee powders, paftesj&c.)

Beer, ale and porter in cafks,

in bottles

Bricks and tiles,

'Bonnets and caps (fee hats)

Boots,

Books, blank,

Books of perfons who come to refide in
the United States, i

Buttons of every kind.

Buckles, fhoe and knee,

Bruflies,

Bullion,

Cannon of brafs, from May 22, 1794, to
May 22, 1795,

after the 22d May, 1795,

Carriages (fee coaches)

Cards, playing,

• ^ wool andcotton,

Cables and tarred cordage,

Cabinet wares.

Caps and bonnets (fee hats)

Q R

15 per cent, ad val.

free
8
8

15
15

free
10

free

cents per gallon,
ditto.

per cent, ad val.
ditto.

cents per gallon.

per cent, ad val.

per pair.

per cent, ad val.

free
15

free

cents per pack.

cents per dozen.

180

cents per cwt.

per cent, ad val.

460

Carpets and carpeting,

Cartridge paper,

Candles of tallow,

of wax or fpcrmaceti,

Capers,

Canes, walking fticks and whips,

Cambricks,

Cheefe,

China ware,

Cinnamon, cloves, currants and comfits,

Chintzes and coloured calicoes or muflins,
and all printed, ftained or coloured
goods or manufactures of cotton or of
linen, or of both, or of which cotton
or linen is the material of chief value,

Cocoa,

Chocolate,

Clogs and golofhoes (fee (hoes)

Cordage, tarred,

. ' and yarn untarred,

Cofmetics,

Coal,

Colours, (fee painters)

Copper manufaAures,

. in plates, pigs and bars,

Compofitions for the teeth or gums (fee
dentrifice)

Coffee,

Cotton,

Cotton or linen manufaflures, or of
both, or of which cotton or linen is
the material of chief value, being
printed, ftained or coloured,

not printed, ftained or coloured,

Clocks and watches, or parts of either.

Coaches, chariots, phaetons, chairs, chai-
fes, folos or other carriages, or parts
of carriages,

Clothing ready made.

Clothes, books, houftiold furniture, and
the tools or implements of the trade or
profeffion of perfons who come to re-
fide in the United States,

Cutlafles, from May 22, 1794, to May

22, 1795,
after the 22d May, 1795,

15 per cent, ad val.

2 cents per lb.

15 per cent, ad val.
10
10

7 cents per lb.
15 per cent, ad val.

I2i

cents per pound.

180

cents per pair,
cents per cwt.

225

5
'5

per cent, ad val.
cents per buftiel,
per cent, ad val.

free

^5
5

cents per pound.

12i

: per cent, ad val.

free

free
15

46i

Dates and figs,

Dentrifice powders, tinfturcs, prepara-
tions and compofitlons for the teeth or
gums,

Dolls drefTed and undrefTed,

Drugs medicinal, except thofe commonly
ufed for dying,

Drugs and wood for dying,
E

Earthen and ftone wares,

EfTences, (fee powders, paftes, &c.)
F

Fans,

Fayal wine,

Feathers and other ornaments for wo-
mens head dreffes.

Fringes commonly ufed by upholfterers,
coachmakers and fadlers,

Figs,

Flowers, artificial.

Floor cloths and mats.

Fruits of all kinds.

Furs of every kind undreffed,

15 per cent, ad val.

free

20
'5

cents per gallon,
per cent, ad val.

Glafs, black quart bottles,

• window glafs,

■ all other glafs, and manufadlures
thereof,

Glauber falts.

Gauzes,

Geneva (fee fpirits)

Ginger,

Golofhoes (fee (hoes)

Gloves of leather,

all other gloves and mittens,

Gold , filver, and plated ware.

Gold and filver lace

Goods, wares and merchandize imported
diredly from China or India in fhips or
veffcls not of the United except teas,
China ware, and all other articles lia-
ble to higher rates of duties,

Goods, wares and merchandize intend-
ed to be re-exported to a foreign port
or place, in the fame fhip or veffel in

10
15

200

15
15
15
15
15
15

cents per cvvt.
per cent, ad val.

per cent, ad val.
cents per pair,
per cent, ad val.

462

w'hich they fliall be imported — and all
articles of :he growth, prcduft or ma-,
nufactuie of the United States, fpirits
excepted.

Goods, wares and merchandize not here-
in otherwife paticularly enumerated
and defcribed,

Glue,

Gun powder, from May 22, 1794, to
May 22, 1795.

. after the 22d May, 1795,

Hangers,

Hair powder,

Hats — of beaver, felt, wool, or a mixture
of any of them,

all other hats, caps and bonnets,

Hemp,

Hides, raw,

Houfhold furniture of perfons who come
to reiide in the United States,
I

Implements of the trade or profeflion of
perfons who come to refidc in the
United States,

Indigo,

Iron wire,

caft, flit and rolled,

. • fteel or brafs locks, hinges, hoes,

anvils, and vizes,

• all other manufa6^ures of Iron, fteel

or brafs, or of which either of thefe
metals is the article of chief value, not
being otherwife particularly enume-
rated,

J-

Jewellery and pafte work,

Lace of gold and filver,

Laces and lawns.

Laces, hues, fringes taffels and trimmings,
commonly ufed by upholfterers, coach-
makers and fadiers.

Lampblack,

Lapis calaminaris.

Leather, tanned and tawed, and all ma-
nufadlures of leather or of which leather

free

10
J5

free
10

15
15

100
free

free

free
free

free

per cent, ad val.

cents per cwt.

cents per pound.

15 per cent, ad val.

4^3

is the article of chief value, not other-
wife particularly enumerated,
Lead and muflcet ball, fron;i May 22,
1794, to May 22, 1795,

after May 22, 1795,

. All othei manufa«5lures of lead, or

in which lead is the chief article.

Lemons and limes,

Linen or cotton manufactures, or of both
or of which cotton or linen is the ma-
terial of chief value, printed, ftained or
coloured,

not printed, ftained or coloured,

Lifbon and Oporto wines,

Looking glafies,

Manufaftnres of tin, pewter and copper,

of iron, fteel or brals, not

otherwife particularly enumerated,

of leither, not othcrwife

particularly enumerated;

of lead not othcrwife par-

ticularly enumerated,

of cotton or linen, or of

both, printed, ftained or coloured,

ofditto^ not printed, itain-

per cent, ad vaL

ree
I

cent per pound.

I
15

per cent, ad val.

I2f
10

cents per gallon,
per cent, ad val»

cent per pound.

i2i

per cent. ad. vaL

ed or coloured,

-of glafs (fee glafs)

of tobacco (fee fnufi and

tobacco)

and wood)

of wood (fee cabinet wares
of the United States, fpirits

excepted,

Mats and floor cloths,

Malt,

Marble, flate and other ftone bricks, tiles,
tables, mortars and other utenfils of
marble or fl:»te, and generally all ilone
and earthen ware,

Madeira wines ifee wines)

Mace,

Medicinal drugs, except thofe common-
ly ufed in dying,

Merchandize, goods and wares, import-
ed diredly from China or India, in (hips
or veffcls not of the United States ex-

frce
10 cents per bufiiel

I 5 per cent, ad val.
15

4^4

cqjt teas, china ware, and all other ar-
ticles liable to higher rates of duties.

Merchandize, goods and wares, intended
to be re-exported to a foreign port or
place in the hme fliip or veffel in which
theyfhall be imported — and all articles
of the growth, produft or manufaclure
of theUniied States — fpirits excepted.

Merchandize, goods and wares not here-
in otherwife particularly enumerated
and defcribed,

Mittens (fee gloves)

Millenary, ready made,

Molaffes,

Muilcets and firelocks, with bayonets fuit-
ed to the fame, and muHcet ball, from
May 22, 1794, to May 22, 1795,

■ after the 2 2d May, 1795,

Muflcetsand fire locks, without bayonets,

Muftard in flour,

Muflins and muflinets, printed, ftained or
coloured,

" not printed, ftained or coloured,

Nails,

Nankeens,

Nutmegs,

Oranges,

Ornaments for womens head drefTes,

Ointments, oils and odors (fee powders,

pailes, &c.)
Olives,
Oil,
Oporto and Lifbon wine,

P,
Paper hangings,

• writing and wrapping,

fl-.eathing and cartridge,

Painters

rs, whether dry or ground

in oil, except thofe commonly ufed in

dying.
Packthread and twine,
Pafte beards, parchment and vellum,
Paile work and jev;'ellery.
Phaetons, fee coaches,
Plaifcer of Paris,

free

10
3

free

.2^
10

per cent. ad. val.
cents per gallon.

per cent, ad val.

cents per

• pound.

12^

r per cent

. ad val.

cents per

■gallon.

per cent.

ad val.

400

cents per

cwt.

per cent.

ad val.

free

4^5

Pewter manufaftures,

.old.

Pepper,

Perfumes,

Piftols, from May 22, 1794, to May 22,

I795»
. after the 2 2d May, 1 795,

Piftures and prints,

Pimento,

Pickles of all forts.

Printed, ftained or coloured goods, or
manufadures of cotton, or of linen, or
of both,

Philofophical apparatus, fpecially import-
ed for any feminary of learning,

Porter, beer and ale, in cafl<s,

. in bottles,

Powder for the hair,

. gun powder, from May 22, 1794,

to May 22, 1795,

after the 22d May, 1795,

Powders, pafles, balls, balfams, ointments,
oils, waters, wafhes, tinftu'-cs, efiences
or other preparations or compofitions
commonly called fweet fcents, odors,
perfumes, or cofmetics — and all pow-
ders or preparations for the teeth or

free

free
10

per cent, ad, vaL

cents per pound,
per cent, ad vaL

I2t

free

free
10

cents per galloa.
per cent, ad vaL

gums,

Plumbs and prunes,

Raifins,

Raw hides and ficins,

free

Rum, fee fpirits,

S.
Salt, fee note*

cents per bufheL

Salts, glauber.

200

cents per cwt.

Stained, printed or coloured gfoods or ma-

nufactures of cotton, or <

of linen, or of

both,

I2i

per cent, ad vaL

Salt petre.

free

Saint Lucar wines,

cents per gallon.

Starch,

per cent, ad val.

Sail cloth,

Slate, ftone and ftone ware.

Saddles,

Sattins and other wrought

filks,

Steel,

100

cents per cwt.

466

iron, or braCs locks, hinges, hoes.

anvils and vizes,

per cent, ad val,

all other mar.ufadures of lleel.

Sheathinpj and cartridge paper,

Sherry wine,

cents per gallon.

Sea {lores of fiiips or vefiels.

free

Spermaceti candles,

cents per pound.

Svvcet fcents, (fee powders, paftes, &c.)

per cent, ad val.

Spirits diihlled in foreign countries, viz.

From grain, Firll proof.

cents per gallon.

Second do.

Third do.

Fourth do.

Fifth do.

Sixth do.

From other materials.

Firft proof,

Second do.

Third do.

F'ourth do.

Fifth do.

Sixth do.

Spirits dillilled in the United States, im-

ported after the fifth day of June, 1 794,

in the fame (hip or veflel in which they

had been previoufly exported from the

the United States, viz.

From molafTes.

Firft proof.

cents per gallon.

Second do.

Third do.

Fourth do.

Fifth do.

Sixth do.

From materials of the growth or produce

of the United States.

Firft proof.

Second do.

Third do.

Fourth do.

Fifth do.

Sixth do.

Spikes,

cent per pound.

Silver and plated ware,

pctrcent. ad. val

lace.

Sldns, raw

free

467

Shoes and flippers of filk, 25 cents per pair.

. other (hoes and flippers for men

and women, clogs and goloflioes, 15

-other ftioes and flippers for chil-

dren, 10
Swords and cutlafles, from May 22, 1794,

to May 22, 1795, fiee

■ after May 22, 1795* 15 per cent. ad. val.

Stockings, 15

Stone and earthen ware, 15

Soap, 2 cents per pound.

Solos and other carriages, 20 percent, ad. val.

Sulphur, free

Sugars. From July ift, to Sept. 30,

1794, inclufively.

Brown,

cent per

pound.

Clayed,

Lump,

Loaf,

Other refined,

From and after Sept. 30, 1794.

Brown,

Clayed,

Lump,

Loaf,

Other refined.

Sugar candy,

per cent

. ad. val.

Snuff. From July ift, to Sept. 30. 1794,

inclufively.

i794>

Taffels and trimmings commonly ufed by

upholllerers, coachmakers, and fad-

lers.

Tables of marble, flate, other or fl.one,

per cent.

ad. val.

Tallow candles,

cents per

pound.

Teas. From China and India,

Bohea,

Souchong and other black teas,

Hyfon,

Other green teas,

From Europe.

Bohea,

Souchong and other black teas,

Hyfon,

3 S

468

Other green tea,
From any other place.
» Bohea,

Souchong and other black teas,
Hyfon,

Other green teas,
Tenerlffe wine,
Twine and pack thread.
Tin manufafhures,

in pigs and plates,

Tindures, (fee powders, paftes, &c.)
Tiles and bricks,
Toys, not otherwife enumerated.
Tobacco, manufactured,

■ From July ift, to Sept. 30th,

1 794, inclufively,

From and after the 30th of

Sept. 1794,
Tools of the trade or profeffion of perfons,
who come to relide in the United
States, free

V.
Velvets and velverets,
W.
Wares of tin, pewter and copper,

earthen or ftone,

china,

gold, filver, and plated,

goods and merchandize imported

direftly from China or India in fhips or
veffels not of the United States, except
teas, china ware, and all other articles
liable to higher rates of duties,

goods and merchandize of the

per cent, ad val.

cents per gallon.

400

cents per cwt.

irl!

per cent. ad. val.

cents per pound.

10 percent, ad. val.
15

growth, produce or manufafture of the

United States, (fpirits excepted,) free

Wafers, 15
Waters and wafhes, (fee powders, paftes,

&c.) 15

Walking fticks, whips and canes, lo

Wax candles, 6

Watches and clocks, or parts of either, 15

Wines, London particular Madeira, ^6

London market, do. 49

" Other, do. 40

Sherry, 33

' St. Lucar, 30

cents per pound,
per cent, ad val.
cents per gallon.

469

cents per gaDon,

TenerifFe and Fayal,

thirty cents per gallon in American vef-

fels. or thirty-two cents per gallon in

foreign veflels)

per cent, ad val.

Window glafs,

Wire of brafs and iron,

free

Wool and cotton cards,

cents per dozen.

Wool unmanufaftured,

free

Wood (unmanufactured)

free

Wood manufadlured (exclufive of cabinet

wares)

I2i

Yarn untarred,

225

cents per cwt.

All other goods, not before particularly

enumerated and defcribed.

per cent, ad val.

To the encouragement to the manufa6lures
of the United States refulting from the fore-
going table, very confiderable additions are to
be made for freight, infurance, commiffions, por-
terages, cods of packages, premiums on bills, or
other lofTes on remittances to Europe. The ag-
gregate of thefe is unufually high at this jun6ture,
for a feafon of peace.

There is no duty on exports, nor is there any
prohibition of exportation, excepting the tempora-
ry inftances of certain military articles.

Note, The duties on Salt are at the rate of 12 cents fer hnjhel of
^hlb» or lefs^

470

CHAPTER IV,

A STATEMENT OF THE TONNAGE OF VESSELS, WHICH HAVE
PAID DUTY IN THE PORTS OF THE UniTED StATES OF AME-
RICA, BETWEEN THE ift DAY OF OCTOBER, I79I, AND THE
30th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, I792, INCLUDING THE COASTING
AND FISHING VESSELS.

To nvhat nation belonging, Tons,

THE United States,

549>279

The United States and foreign nations.

jointly.

407

France,

24>443

Great-Britain,

209,646

Spain,

3>i48

United Netherlands,

3>i23

Portugal,

2,843

Hamburg and Bremen,

bfin

Denmark,

752

Sweden,

943

Total,

800,261

Treasury Department, Revenue-Office,
January 2nft> 1794*

TENCH COXE, Commiflioner of the Revenue.

471

CHAPTER V.

An abstract of goods, wares, and merchandize, ex-
ported FROM THE United States, from the ill Octo-
ijer, 1792, to 30th September, 1793.

Species of Merchandize.

^antity.

Aflies, pot

tons of

4'3S9 9

pearl

do.

1,807 ^

Apples,

barrels

8,994

Bark of oak.

hogfneads
cords

3,108

444

gallons
number

208
683,070

Bricks,

Boats,

do.

Boots,

pairs

1,167

Shoes,

do.

15,102

Beer, porter and cider.

gallons

i37»63i

bottled.

dozens

776

Blacking or lampblack.

pounds

hogfheads

100

Bellow 8 'Smith,

pairs

Cotton,

bags

2,438

Chalk,

tons

Candles, Wax

boxes

Myrtle,

do.

Spermaceti,

do.

5>«74

Tallow,

do;

9,857

Cordage,

tons

469 19

Coal,

bulhels

H'7»9

Cranberries,

do.

166

Cards, Wool and Cotton

dozens

hogfheads

3>«95

■

tierces

1,914

Coffee, ^ barrels

10,175

bags

1,789

^pounds
"hogfheads

10,764,549
12

tierces

Cocoa, <

barrels

180

bags
^pounds

33^

i33»^lS

472

species ofMerchafidize, ^

^antity.

Carriage!

5. Coaches, chaifes Sc chairs.

, number

Waggons, carts & drays,

do.

Wheel-barrows, &c.

do.

Copper,
Duck,

packages

146

pieces

2,630

Drugs and medicine,

pounds of

52,720

packages
tons

•7Qr

— - ■■- ■ >

Saffafras,

Zo I
67

Earthen-i

ware,

crates

175

Flaxfeed:

cafks

51,708

Flax,

pounds

1,474

Furniture, Houfe

packages.

Tables, bureaus,&c. number

175

Windfor chairs,

do.

3>884

Chefts,

do.

201

Fifhery.

Fifh dried.

quintals

372,825

. , pickled.

barrels

45,4.40

Oil of whale.

gallons

512,780

Oil, fpermaceti

do.

140,056

Whale-bone,

rounds

202,620

Grain and Pulfe. Wheat,

Dufhels

i>45o*575

Rye,

do.

^>V^S

Barley,

do.

Indian Corn,

do.

i,2SSi']6i

Buckwheat,

do.

330

Oats,

do.

78,524

Peas and Beans,

do.

40,620

Groceries. Loaf Sugar,

hogfheads

tierces

barrels

27^554

pounds

Brown Sugar,

do.

4,539,809

Chocolate,

do.

7»432

Raifins,

do.

84,800

Almonds,

do.

15,900

. Pimento,

do.

114,255

Cloves,

do.

500

Pepper,

do.

i4>36'

Ginger,

bags

478

Caffia and Cinnamon,

packages

35^

Glafs,

boxes

packages

Ginfengj

pounds

71^550

■•-'-3

packages

188

Grindftones,

number

Hides,

do.

9,78

473

Species of Merchandize*

^antiiy.

Horns and Tips.

number

9i>H^

Hats,

do.

2>777

Honey,

gallons

732

Hops,

packages

Hay,

tons

1^871

Iron. Nails,

calks

144

Axes, Spades,

and Hoes,

number

951

Anchors,

do.

Grapnels,

do.

2iy

Pots, kettles, &

: other caftings, do.

6,117

calks

>
Cannon,

number

Shot,

tons

Kg,

do.

2,089

Bar,

do.

763 2

Hoops,

do.

27 II

Indigo,

calks

462

- >

pounds

690,989

Ivory,

packages

Lead. Pig,

number

241

Shot,

pounds

952

Sheet,

tons

Leather,

pounds

17,301

packages
buihels

52
748

Lime,

Live Stock. Horned Cattle,

number

3»728

Horfes,

do.

4»6i3

Mules,

do.

i>io5

Sheep,

do.

12,064

Hogs,
Poultry,

do.

9^934

dozens

6,428

Merchandize, or Dry Goods,

packages of

4''36

Nankeens,

pieces

10,972

Tow Cloth,

yards

i4»947

Molaffes,

gallons

2«>733

MiU-ftones,

number

Naval Stores. Pitch,

barrels

8,338.

Tar,

do.

67,961

Rofin,

do.

1,715

Turpentine,

do.

36,957

Spirits

of Turpentine^

, calks

Negro Slaves,

number

Nuts,

bufhels

502

Oil. linfeed,

gallons

1,185

Sweet,

3oxes & balkets

1,168

Powder. Gun,

qr. calks

1,286

474

Speciei of Merchandize,

^.antity.

Powder. Hair,

pounds

12,810

Paper,

reams

Pipes,

groce

Paints,

cegs

102

Pearl,

boxes

Provifions. Rice,

tierces

134,611

Flour,

barrels

1,074,639

Bread,

do.

76^653

Crackers,

kegs

43'3o6

Rye Meal,

barrels

12,695

Indian Meal,

do.

37>943

Ship Stuff,

do.

3.871

Buckwheat,

do.

146

Beef,

do.

75>'o^

Pork,

do.

Z'^y^^^

Neat's Tongues,

kegs

867

Tongues and Sounds,

do.

209

Hams and Bacon,

pounds

521,483

Butter,

firkins

9,190

Cheefe,

pounds

146,269

Lard,

do.

S^^l^^^l

Saufagcs

do.

2,863

Pickled Oyfters

kegs & pots

1,561

Potatoes,

^ bulliels

20,367

Onions,

* bufliels& bunches

269,380

Reeds,

number

123,276

Spirits, American

gallons

665,522

Foreign,

do.

224,614

Gm,

cafes

10,761

Sadlery. Saddles,

number

i,M4

Bridles

do.

997

Harnefs

fetts

Soap,

boxes

6,620

Starch,

pounds

5:^40

Snufi>

do.

35'S59

Salt,

bufhels

1,107

Spruce, effence of

boxes

Silk, raw

pounds

104

Silver Sweepings,

calks

Skins and Furrs,

pounds

426,318

, packages.

number

1,123

do.

27,446

Tobacco,

hogfheads

59.947

-, Manufadured

pounds

m^iH

Tallow,

do.

309,366

Twine,

do.

Zu^o

475

Species of Merchandize,
Tin,
Teas. Bohea,

Souchong,

Hyfon,

Other Green,
Vinegar,
Varnifh,
Wines. Madeira,

Other Wines,

Bottled,
Wax. Bees,

Myrtle,
Wood. Lumber,

Timber,

. ,

Dye wood.

Staves and heading,

Shingles,

Hoops and poles,

Shooks,

Empty calks,

Mails and fpars,

Oars,

Handfpikes,

Pumps,

Blocks,

Treenails,

Spokes and Fellies,

Lock flocks.

Cords of wood.

Frames of houfes,

. . of veffels,

Cart wheels.

Yokes and bows,

Mall hoops,

Tubs, pails> &c.

^antiiy^

boxes

121

pounds

21,521

do.

3,020

do.

173672

do.

7^725

gallons

3>473

cafks

gallons

49,180

do.

180,929

dozens

"^^ZZ^

pounds

272,800

do.

i>275

feet

65,846,024

tons

2i,8j8

pieces

12,272

tons

319 10

number

29,734,854

do.

80,813,357

do.

2>304>853

do.

37^865

do.

6,944

do.

5,052

do.

20,251

do.

19,169

do.

4>8i4

do.

91^632

do.

22,076

do.

600

do.

1^119 V

do.

311

do.

pairs

696

dozens

do.

476

Falue of Goods i Waresy and Merchandize i Exported from the
United States,

New-Hampihire,

MafTacliufptts,

Rhode-Ifland -

Connedlicut

New- York

New-Jerley

Pennfylvania

Delaware -

Maryland

Virginia

North-Carolina

South- Carolina

Georgia

Total,

Dollars,

I98>i97
3,676,412

6(6,416

770,239

2>934-»370
54»i7<5

6*958*736

71*242

3,687,119

2*984*3 1 7

363*307
3>i95*874

SO»*383

26,011,788

[Not E.J Sundiy returns from fmall ports, not yet received.

A Summary of the Value and Dejiination of the Exports of th^ United
States, agre.ablj to the foregoing AbfraSl,

Dollars,

To the dominions of Ruffia - _ . 5*769

the dominions of Sweden - - - 301,427

the dominions of Denmark _ _ - 870,508

the dominions of the United Netherlands - 3,169,536

tlic dominions of Great-Britain - - 8,431,239

the Imperial ports of the Auftrian Netherlands

and Germany - - - 1,013,347

Hamburg, Bremen, and other Hanfe Towns 79^*537

the dominions of France - - 7,050,498

the dominions of Spain - - - 2,237,950

the dominions of Portugal - - - 997*590

the Italian Ports, _ - - 220,688

Morocco _ - - - 2,094

the Eaft-Indies, generally - - - 253,131

Africa, generally . - - 251,343

the Weft-Indies, generally _ - - 399*559

the North-Weft Coaft of America - - 1,586

Uncertain - - - - 3*9^6

Total, 26,011,788

Treafury Departmefit^ Revenue-Office ^ March 20th, 1794.

TENCPI COXE, Commiffioner of the Revenue.

477

CHAPTER VI.

MISCELLANEOUS FACTS AND OBSERVATIONS COKCERNIKG THF,

STATE OF Pennsylvania, supplementary to the fourth

CHAPTER OF THE FIRST BOOK.

IT has been already affirmed, that the bufinefs of
fhip building is in a courfe of extraordinary
profperity in the United States. From the books
of the InfpeQor General of American commerce,
under the Britifh government, it appears, that there
were built in Pennfylvania in the year 1769, no
more than 1640 tons of new vefiels ; in the year
1770, 2354 tons; and in the year 1771, only 1307
tons. The return of new vefiels, built in the ftate
of Pennfylvania, during the year 1793, though a
grievous epidemic malady was introduced, in that
term, into its only fea-port, exhibits the number
of 8145 tons. Thefe vefiels were generally built
of the fouthern live oak and cedar, and were con-
fequently, of the firft clafs in value and excellen-
cy. This great increafe of fo capital a vehicle of
commerce, is an evidence as well of the growth of
trade, as of fhip building. It is, however, proper
to obferve, that the meafurement of 1771, was
much lefs accurate, than that of 1793. The me-
dium of the a6lual tonnage of the three former
years, mentioned above, was perhaps 2,300 tons.

47^

But there is a ftronger proof of the growth of
trade in the port of Philadelphia, and in the ftate
of Pennfylvania. This refults from the aftonilh-
ing increafe of exports. The aggregate value of
all the commodities fliipped from Philadelphia, to
foreign countries, during one year, ending on the
30th September, 1792, was 3,820,646 Dols.

The aggregate value of the like
exports, from Philadelphia, during
one year, ending on the 30th Sep-
tember, 1793, was 6,958,736 Dols,

The aggregate value of the like

exportSjfrom Philadelphia, during
one half of a year, ending on the
31ft of March, 1794, was 3>533>397 J^^^^-

It is to be remembered alfo, that the epidemic
malady, already mentioned, and the embargo in
the laft fpring, interrupted the commerce of Phi-
ladelphia, during a term of nearly five months, in
the clofe of 1793 atid the beginning of 1794.

The exports of the ftate of Pennfylvania, during
the year, ending on the 30th September 1793,
were more than one fourth [i. c. nearly feven
twenty fixth parts) of the exports of the whole of

479

the United States. The tranfportation of merchan-
dize and domeftic manufaftures, coaft-wife, and
by land were alfo very great.

The catalogue of books at this time for fale,
and which have been publillied by lefs than a dozen
of the bookfellers of Philadelphia, contains three
hundred and twenty felts of different books, of
one volume in duodecimo to eighteen volumes in
quarto; alfo many charts, maps, and pamphlets,
fmall hiftories and chapman's books. This precious
branch, which diffufes indifpenfibie knowledge in
every line, yields large profits to the manufadurers,
the artizans, and the United States, upon a fmall
capital, in fheep-flcins, lead, lamp-black and ufelefs
rags.

There are eftablifhed in the city of Philadelphia,
three incorporated banks, which may be fafely af-
firmed to be in full and perfeft credit, and to yield
a better dividend, or half yearly profit, to their
flockholders, than any fimilar inftitutions in Eu-
rope ; they are,

1. The Bank of North-America, eftabliflied in
the year 1781.

2. The Bank of the United States, eftabliflied
in 1791.

3. The Bank of Pennfylvania, eftablifhed in
1792,

48o

The United States of America are interefted to
an amount much lefsthan a major part of the flock
in the fecond; and the ftate of Pennfylvania in a
fimilar degree in the third. They are all banks of
difcount and depofit, and ifl'ue notes payable in
fpecie, on demand to the bearer. Their organi-
zation is upon a plan and on principles nearly uni-
form, and very much like to thofe of the Bank of
England. Foreigners are confiderably interefted
in all of them. The Bank of the United States
has many proprietors in other parts of this country.
It has branches, or fubordinate offices, in Bofton,
New-York, Baltimore and Charicfton.

The following table is extraQed from authentic
documents. The third column fhews, in detail,
the number of taxable inhabitants of each of the
exifting counties of Pennfylvania, and of the city
of Philadelphia. The two preceding columns ex-
hibit the number of the like inhabitants in two fe-
veral years prior to the revolution.

48 1

A COMPARATIVE VIEW OF THE NUMBER OF THE TAXABLE INHAF.I-

TANTsoE Pennsylvania, in three several years before

AND since the AMERICAN REVOLUTION,

A.D,

1760.

A.D.

1770.

A.D.

1793-

The city of
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county
The county

Philadelphia,

of Philadelphia,

of Montgomery,

of Delaware,

of Chefter,

of Lancafter,

of Dauphin,

of Bucks,

of Northampton,

of Luzerne,

of Allegheney,

of Huntingdon,

of Wafhington,

of Fayette,

of Mifflin,

of Cumberland,

of Bedford,

of Weilmoreland,

of York, ^

of Franklin,

of Berks,

of Northumberland,

8321

10455

4761

5483

5631

6608

3148

3177

1987

2793

I50I

3521

3302

4426

3016

3302

31667

39765

A.D.

1760.

1770.

7088
7 6885
J 4360

f22l6

15270

I 6409

J 3481
4644

I 4697
1409
2510
1717

5045
^2844

2468

3869

2881

345 J

.6974

3570

3878

91177

A.D.

1793-

482

On this interefting document, a fingle remark i«
fufiicient irrefragably to evince, that the profperity
of Pennfylvania is much greater at this time, than
it was in the year 1770. The ratio of the increafe
of taxable perfons in 1793 would have been equal
to the proportion between the years 1760 and 1770,
if the taxables in 1793, had been 68,000 ; but they
over run that number by more than 23,000. It
may be truly obferved, that the redundant popula-
tion of New-England, the old counties of New-
York, New-Jerfey, the Delaware Hate, and Ma-
ryland, muft have migrated into Pennfylvania in
great numbers during the late war.

The following valuable table, relative to Penn-
fylvania, has been received from the editor of " le
•^ Niveau de I' Europe ^ de I'Amerique,"* and is
inferted in this volume with his permiffion.

* « A comparative view of Europe and America," by M.
Egron, of Philadelphia. It may ferve any confiderable public or
private interefts in this country, if documents elucidating fuch
interefts, fhould be tranfmitted to M, Egron, by the perfons
concerned.

North latitude between 39^ 41' 30'' and 42 ® . Its longituc
from north to Jouth 1^6 miles ^ at 69 vnles to a degree. Its i
on tht Jouth, thejlate of Maryland and part of Virguiia ; on
Delaware, which fparates Penrfylvania from New- f erf y ana
and the Allegheney, which by thar jundion and courfes form t

Date of the foundation.

Names of Counties.

Popula-
tion in
1790.

Square
miles.

1683.

Philadelphia.

54'39i

140

1683.

Bucks.

25,40]

642I

1683.

Cheller.

44'

22k

27.937

861

May 10, 1729.

Lancafter.

36,147

884I

Auguft 10, 1749.

York.

37»747

1,630

]

January 27, 1750.

Cumberland.

37,

18,243

978i

March II, 1752.

Northampton.

iii4

24,25c

3,841

March 1 1, 1752.

Berks.

30'i77

1,6.0

]

September 20, 1771.

Bedford.

13,124

3.310

March 21, 1772.

Northumberland.

180

17,16:

9,202

April 8,-1773.

Weftmoreland.

16,018

1,991

May 8, 1781.

Wafhington.

6-^

23,866

1,911

September 26, 1783.

Fayette.

37i

13.325

739i

September 9, 1784.

Franklin.

^Sy^SS

8co

September 10, 1784.

Montgomery.

22,929

539

March 4, 1785.

Dauphin.

18,177

916I

September 25, 1786.

Luzerne.

4,904

3.530

September 20, 1787.

Huntingdon.

7.565

2,239

September 19, 1789.

Allegheney.

131

10,309

7,019

September 19, 17S9.

Delaware.

9.483

180

September 26, 1789.

Mifflin.

7.562

1,8511

The city and 2 1

:ounties.

434'373

45,016

3 u

483

THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Vorlh lalilude klwetn 39' 41' 30" and 42 ° . lis longitude from Ihe mriJian of Philadelpliia, hdue
front north to foulh 156 rmlts^ at 69 miUs to a drgree. Its limits: on tin noith and norlh-iajt, thf Jtutc oj
on thifouthy the flute of Maryland and part of Virginia; on the tveji, the Jl ate of Virginia and the IVeJLn
Delaware, which fcparates Prmfylvania from New- Jtrfey and Ntw-York : the Sufquehanna, formed hy inm
and the Allrgheney, which by their junClion and courfes jorm the Ohio : The Yougkiogeny, the Lehigh,

en 0° 2j' eafl, 5 ° 23' we/l. Length from eafi to wefi 280 miles. Its width
' New-York ! ontherajl, New-Jerfy; on the fouth-eajl, the Jlate of Delaware ;
•I territory of the Untied Stales ; and on the north-wjl. Lake Erie. Rivers : the
I branches, on- from the weft and the other from the north-enj} : the Monongahtla
Juniata and the Schnyltill.

Dale f Ihe fiundathn.

NamcofCcnnlie,.

1790.

Acre, of
Land.

<•« milei
/qmre.

Chief Toivn,.

^crlh lalilnJe
fchiefto^n.

Meridmn lonsilude

it::;;-!-

SITUATION.

16S3.

Philadelphia.

54.39"

140

89,fioo

388 ,v.

Philadelphia.

39" 57'"

0" 0"

on the well bank of the Delaware river.

16S3.

Bucks.

25,401

41 1,900

19.VV

Newtown.

+0 14

Eaft.

54 miles from the Delaware.

,683.

Chefter.

44'

27.937

S^^i "

551,400

32 ;;■

W'ell.Chefter.

39 58

0 28

Well.

ifii miles from the Delaware.

RFay 10, 1729.

Laneafter.

V--

36.147

SS4,

566,240

43;.',

Lancaller.

40 2

■ 9

to miles from the Sufquehanna.

Auguft 10, 1749.

York.

37.747

.,630

1,043,200

23. vv

York.

39 '7

1 30

at miles from the Sufquehanna.

J.n.a,y .7- .750-

Cumberland.

37,

18,243

97S'

626,240

18.6;;

Carline.

40 II

i^J miles from the Sufquehanna.

March II, 1752-

Northampton.

24,25c

2,458.240

e.3u

Eafton.

40 21

0 4

It the iunftion of the rivers Lehigh and Delaware.

March 11, .752-

Berks.

'e?'

3°.i77

'i',6.o

1,030,400

■8.745

Reading.
Bedford.

40 42

unthe'iiver Schuylkill.

Scpu-mber 20, 1771.

Bedford.

5°

'3>'24

3.3 'o

2,, 18,400

3.964

3 21

!Si miles from the Potowmack river.

March 2 1, 1772.

Northumberland.

iSo

9.202

6,145,280

Sunbury.

40 51

1 42

at the junction of the W. and N. E. branches of the Sufquehanna.

Aprils, 1773.

Wellmoreland.

io!oi8

1,991

:;ree„(burg.

40 iS

3 23

i6i m^les fiom the Monongahela.

May 8, 1781.

Waftington.

23,8CC

1,223,040

12.44^

Walhington.

40 II

5 7

17 miles from the Monongahela.

.September 26, 17S3.

Fayette.

37-

■3.325

739:

473,280

Union.

39 54

4 35

. 1 miles fn.m the Monongahela.

September 9, ,1784.

?ranklin.

.5.655

5 1 2,000

19.561^

Chamberfturg.

39 56

254 miles from ti:c Potowmack river.

September to, 1754.

Montgomery.

22,929

539

344,960

42-539

Norris-town.

40 7

on the Schuylkill.

March 4, 1785-

Dauphin.

18,177

9.6,

586,400

19.842

Harr,(burg.

40 15

1 42

on the eaft branch of Sufquehanna.

September 25, 1786.

Luzerne.

4.9°4

3.530

2,259,200

1.384

Wilkefbarre.

4> 13

on the north-caft branch of the Sufquehanna.

September 20, 1787.

Huntingdon.

7.565

2,239

1,432,960

3-37*'

Huntingdon.

40 27

°|2 52

on the Juniata.

September 19, 1789.

Allegheney.

'3"

10,309

7.01 9

4,289,920

"•53*-

Pittlburg.

^0 26

304 5'

at thr junftion of the Monongohela and Youghiogeny, the union
un the Delaware. [of which forms the Ohio.

September 19, 1 7S9.

Delaware.

9.483

115,200

52.683

Chefter.

39 5"

0 '3

September 26, 1789.

Mifflin.

7,562

1,85°-

1,184.960

Lewiflrurg.

40 35

2 26

on the north bank of the Juniata.

The city and 2 1 counties.

434.375

45,016

28,810,160

9.650

3 U

485

It is a curious faB, that the price of produce at
Pittfburg, three hundred miles from Philadelphia,
is higher by fifty per cent, at this time, than it was
fifty years ago in the city of Philadelphia. In the
year 1739, wheat was fold in that port for tw^o ihiU
lings and nine pence per bufhel, flour for feven
Ihillings and three pence per cwt. and Indian corn
for one fiiilling and fix pence per bufhel. Thefe
truths are iiuerefting to the interior land holder
and to the political econimift. The invention ar\d
information of the American cultivators and Ilatef-
men at the prefcnt time with the capital and numbers
of the former, are powerfiil auxiliaries, which did
not exift in the year 1739. The didillation of fpi-
rits of the higheft proof, the production of filk, the
Supplies of the army, the cultivation of tobacco,
hemp, and flax, the manufadory* of fait, cheefe,
butter, pot-afii, flaxleed oil, leather, fleel, rolled,
and flit iron, and the fined flour, with furnaces,
forges, canals, and turnpikes, greatly reduce the
charges of tranfportation, and increafe the value
of natural and agricultural produBions in the mid-
land and weftern counties. Thefe advantages may
perhaps be eafily extended, if the city of Philadel-
phia and the interior towns and villages will purfue
fuch of the ideas, fuggelled in the tenth chapter
of the firft book, as may be convenient to their
fituation, and to the pecuniary circumflances of
their inhabitants.

The interior of Pennfylvania is peculiarly adapt-
ed and impelled to the manufactory of glafs, earth-

3 X •

486

en ware, ftone ware, and iron ware. The forefls
on the Delaware, Lehigh, Lehiwaxen, Schuylkill,
Sufquehanna, and its two branches, and on Junia-
ta, and Penn's creek, are now ib near to a great
population, that irnmenfe quantities of thofe feve-
ral manufa8:u'res might be delivered by water car-
riage. On the completion of the canals they might
be tranfported, in like manner, to Philadelphia and
from thence to foreign countries.

The healthinefsof the climate of Philadelphia is
evinced by the fa61, that although it was eftablifhed
very' long after the two next largefl: towns in the
United States, New-York and Bofton, yet it is little
fiiort of the fize of both. The city and county of
New- York, and the towns of BoRon and Gharlef-
town, contained in lygi no more than 52,752 per"
fons : the city and county of Philadelphia contain-
ed in the fame year 54,391 perfons. The counties
of New-York and Philadelphia are both very fmall
and much lefs than any other in their refpeftive
ftates. The latter is moll populous. It muft be
admitted, that this increafe is to be afcribed in
Tome degree to the general profperity of Pennfyl-
vania, New-Jerfey and the peninfula between the
Delaware and Chefapeak bays.

A more dire6l proof of the healthinefs of Phila-
delphia is to be deduced from the books of 'the
Difpenfary, a public charity from which medicine,
advice and afTiftance are extended to the poor,
under every diforder and difeafe, without expenfe*

487

In the year 1790 the patients, which were under
the care of the inftitution, amounted to 1892 poor
citizens and foreigners. Of thefe only (ixty-three
died. The want of proper food, raiment, bedding,
nurfes, cleanlinefs, and fafe and comfortable apart-
ments, muft have contributed to the mortality of a
part of thefe, as the patients were generally work-
ing people and all paupers, and the funds of the
Difpenfary are applied in a very fmall degree to
thole articles. Medicine, advice and affiitance
are the chief objects of their plan.

A malignant fever fimilar to that of 1793 ob-
tained an entrance into a few families in the clofe
of the fummer of 1794, but as the difeafe did not
fpread or extend in Philadelphia, though it did
fpread in the fmall airy town of New-Haven in
ConneQicut, and in the fuburbs of Baltimore upon
Fell's point, it is manifeft that the climate of Phila-
delphia is not more difpofed to that kind of mala-
dy than other large towns. Indeed the three in-
ftances of 1794 would prove it to be lefs difpofed
to promote fuch difeales, than fmaller towns.

It may be confidered as a fa8; flrongly in favour
of the induftry, fobriety and tranquility of the city
of Philadelphia, that its breweries exceed, in the
quantity of their manufaQured liquor, thofe of all
the fea-ports in the United States. The corpora-
tion of the city wifely favour houfes for the retail
fale of beer and other malt liquors. Good regu-
lations on the fubje^l of intoxicating liquors arc

4B8

infinitely important to health, morals, induftry,
property and good government: or in other words
to the lives, profpcrity, honor and happinefs of the
people.

The number of flave*? of all ages and fexes in the
city of Philadelphia iias been gradunlly worn down
to 273; and there are not more- than 3000 in the
ftate of Pennfylvania. The laws and conditurion
prevent their increafe, and are filently and (leadily
'Working the abolition of (lavery. The migration
hither of a free yeomanry has been increafed by
the very limited number of fiaves.

The variety and extent of the foreign commer-
cial correfpondence of the city of Philadelphia is
very great. This is evinced by a well known fa61,
that in ail the great branches of foreign trade the
Philadelphians have taken a very confiderable
lliare. Thev commenced the American trade with
India and China ; they have purfued the commerce
of Ruffia, though hemp and iron are two of the
liaple articles of Pennfylvania; they have entered
more largely into the Dutch trade than New-York,
though it is well known that Philadelphia did little
and New-York much in that branch of commerce
before the revolution ; Philadelphia carries on
much more trade, both external and internal in
commodities not of herproduQion, than any other
port; which will appear to be clear, when it is re-
membered how much of its fupplies and of thofe of
the adjacent country are drawn from native manu-

4^9

faQures, that its imports are very great and its ex-
ports are near feven twenty fixth parts of the whole
fhipments of the United States, and that it has a
very large fnare of the coaRing trade.

It is very extraordinary, that Philadelphia has
never yet engaged in the cod and whale iifheries,
though Britain and France have carried on the
former on the American coafts, and they and the
Dutch have purfued the whale fifhery in very dif-
tant feas. Thefe, it appears, may fhortly become
very good objects for the accumulated capital of
Philadelphia.

There are in that city two incorporated compa-
nies for the infuranee of houles and other buildings
againft fire, and two for the infuranee of (hips and
merchandize againft the dangers of the (eas, ene-
mies, &c — Of thefe corporations (one againft fire)
exifted before and three have been eftabliflied fince
the revolution : further proofs of the acceflion of
capital and expanfion of the powers, capacities,
and operations of that profperous city.

Philadelphia is remarkably well accommodated
by natural depofits of excellent materials for build-
and improvements in its vicinity, and indeed with-
in its boundaries : brick-clay, gravel, fand, lime-
ftone, and quarries of common ftone and marble,
with great forefts of white and yellow pine, oak,
cedar and other wood and timber on the waters of

490

the rivers Delaware and Schuylkill, which bound
its eaftern and weftern extremities.

The penal code of Pennfylvania, though never
fevere or cruel, has been greatly mitigated within
a few years. In moft inftances ignominious, pain-
ful and fanguinary punifhments have been com-
muted for a ferious and edifying folitude, a fober
and ftriftly temperate regimen, and a conftant, re-
gular, ufeful and very induftrious employment.
Experience appears to be in favour of the experi-
ment.

It does not appear, that any of the Am.erican dates
make fo large quantities of pig iron and bar iron as
Pennfylvania, nor is there any date which appears to
have in its bowels fo much pit coal in fituations fa-
vourable to manufa6lures of American productions
and internal trade.

It is eftimated, that taking into the calculation
the extent and number of the exifting forges and
furnances of Pennfylvania, the new iron works of
the laft feven years are equal to one half of all
thofe, which had been ere6led in the ftate during
and before the year 1787.

OTHER andftmilar remarks might be added to
this chapter, concerning the ftate of Pennfylvania,
but enough has been faid in this and the former

49^

chapter* to give a general idea of that important
member of the American union. This addition
has been neceUarily very mi^'cellaneous and with-
out any regular plan.

* See Chapter 4. Book I.

492

CHAPTER VII.

CONTAINING A VIEW OF THE SUBJECT OF FOREIGN DISTILLED
SPIRITS, EXTRACED FROM A PUBLICATION IN THE YEAR I789.

[Paper T.]

^ I ^HE quantity of foreign liquors, imported into
-*- the United States, is very great. The feve-
ral fpecies, cornmonly introduced, wines excepted,
are unhappily the nnofl: injurious to health both of
body and mind. Ardent intoxicating fpirits, grofs
and unripened, form the prefent importations;
viz. the rum of Great-Britain, Denmark, and Hol-
land— the brandies of France and Spain — and the
geneva of Holland. We may compute them at
two millions of dollars, to which they certainly
amount, befides rum made in the United States of
foreign m ol a Ifes : a diftreffing fum, indeed, if it
were paid even for necellaries, which Providence
bad been pleafed to withhold from us : a grievous
fum, as it is paid (in provifions and other articles
of prime neceffity or univerfai value,) for a poifon-
ous luxury: an alarming fum, comparing it with
any reafonable eftimate of our national revenues.
When we refleft on this prodigious expenfe, no
argument is neceffary to convince us how defira-
bleit is to vary, fo far as we can, the kinds of li-
quors confumed, and to obtain fubftitutes on lefs

493

difadvantageous terms. Some ideas to thefe ends
are here propofed for confideration.

If we fuppofe the rum, brandy, and geneva, im-
ported, as above, into the United States, to be
worth, on a medium, three fhillings and four pence
Pennfylvania money, or forty ninetieths of a dol-
lar per gallon — then the quantity, fo eftimated at
two millions of dollars, will be four millions five
hundred thoufand gallons.* By a mixture of three
parts of water with one of rum, gin or brandy, we
fhall have eighteen millions of gallons of drink, as
ftrong as porter or the Ilouteft beer. This quan-
tity is equal to five hundred and fixty-two thoufand
five hundred barrels of thofe malt liquors, worth,
at thirty-three fliiilings and four-pence (or four
dollars and forty ninetieths) the fum of nine hun-
dred and thirty-feven thoufand five hundred pounds,
or two millions five hundred thoufand dollars,
which immenfe value would arife from the barley
and hops of our farms, and the flaves and hoops
cut out of our woods. The quantity of barley, ne-
ceflary to make thefe five hundred and fixty-two
thoufand five hundred barrels of (lout beer or por-
ter, at four bufiiels to a barrel, is two millions two
hundred and fifty thoufand bufhels, exclufive of
the hops, ftaves, hoops, and firewood, necefiary in

3 Y

* It appears by the public returns of 1792, that 4,869,993
gallons of diftilled fpirits were imported into the United States

durins: that

year.

494

the manuFa6lory. How comfortable to the coun-
try would fuch a manufa6ture be, in which few
labourers are wanted, and wherein fire and horfes
perform fo great a part of the work ! — Imports up-
on foreign liquors appear, in this view of the fub-
je6t, to be a wholefome and efficient encourage-
ment to agriculture, impelling us to what we ought
to do, and very eafily can perform. The fuperior
virtues, both moral and political, of a country,
which confumes malt liquors, inltead of diftilled
fpirits, need only to be mentioned.

In addition to thefe fuhftitutes for foreign liquors,
drawn from native productions, we may add cider
and metheglin; of which large quantities can be
made, and which will come into more general ufe,
as agriculture advances, and economy prevails.
We might mention alfo the fpirits of fruit and
grain ; but it muft be acknowledged that the do-
meftic manufacture of ardent fpirits from fruits and
grain, threatens this country, no lefs than foreign
liquors, with much public and private evil. Beer
and cider would yield the farmer as great benefits,
and are fubjeCl to fewer difadvantages. The friends
of internal peace and order, and of praftical reli-
gion— the advocates and promoters of American
manufaftures — the great body of farmers and plan-
ners— in fliort, all clafTes of our citizeiis have ma-
nifeftly an interefl in promoting the manufaQure
and confumption of thofe valuable articles, beer,
porter, cider, and metheglin.

495

This review of our refourccs for the expenfivc
article of liquors, is taken with a defign to place
the fubjeft properly before us. Its magnitude will
infpire us with a difpofition to proportionate exer-
tions. Sufficient means prei'ent themfelves, by
which we may be relieved of this immenfe tribute
to foreign nations, fome of whom require us not
only to give them in exchange articles of the firll
intrinfic value, but even to pay them for bringing
it to our own ports.

49^

CHAPTER VIII.

concerning the public debts, and revenues of the
United States.

THE foreign and domeflic debts of the United
States of America, as they appeared upon
their public booivs on the firft day of the current
year, 1794, amounted to a little more than feventy-
four millions of dollars. From this fum feven or
eight millions are to be deduced, being different
kinds of flock purchafed in by means of the fink-
ing fund or due upon the books or upon certificates
from the United States tofeveral of the members of
the union : that is to tbemfelves. Of the entire ba-
lance, about fourteen millions will not bear intereft
until the year 1800. Much of the debt bears an
intereft at one half of the eftablifhed rate of this
country. Some of it bears an intereft of two-thirds,
fome of three-fourths, and fome of four-fifths of
the medium of the legal intereft of the ftates. It
therefore refults that forty-eight millions of dollars
in fpecie, about £'. 11, 000,000 fterling, would pur-
chafe or difcharge all the debts of the United
States, which they owe to individuals, or to bodies
politic other than tbemfelves.

The revenues of the United States were eftimat-
cd in 1791 at 3,329,750 dollars; and in 1792 at

497

3,700,000 dollars. They have always exceeded
the eftimates.

The revenues of 1793, and 1794, are very much
advanced and are in full proportion to the com-
merce, agriculture, and profperity of the country.
The furplus revenue of 1793 was eftimated at
2,300,000 dollars. It was appropriated by law to
the means of public ftrength and defence.

498

CHAPTER IX,

MISCELLANEOUS REFLECTIONS UPON CERTAIN IMPORTANT
FACTS AND CONS! DERATIONS, WH I CH OCCUR, AT THE PRE-
SENT TIME, IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE UnITED StATESj
INTENDED AS A CONCLUSION TO THIS COLLECTION.

THE critical ftate of things during the lad
twelve months between the United States and
the kingdom of Great^Britain renders it highly in-
terefting to reflect, for a moment, on the prefent
condition of our mutual commerce.

It is cflablifhed by a recent inveftigation in
Great-Britain, that in the year 1791 the United
States of America took from that kingdom (exclu-
five of Ireland and the Briiifh Eaft-Indies, from
which they import many manufaftures) the im-
menfe value, in Britifh manufaftures, of

Sterling, £.3>929>77i 12 8

In the fame year France, now at
war with England, took, as the
equivalent for the advantages of
Mr. Eden's treaty, only 576,632 6 10

And Ruffia took 281,243!. is.
Denmark and Norway 219,803!.
lis. Sweden 36,259!. 4s. 6d. Po-
land 39,833!. 16s. 9d. PrufTia
43,402!. 16s. 2d. Germany 778- '

213!. 3s. 2d. Holland 692,725!.

499

8s. 3d. Auftrlan Flanders 387,399!
yd.* Portugal Sc Madeira 657,388!
ys. 3d. Spain and the Canaries
582,914]. 4s. 3d. Gibraltar and
the Streights (partly Britifii de-
mand) 224,673]. 16s. 9d. Italy
932,148!. 9s. id. Turlcey 99,206!.
is. 8d. the foreign Welt- Indies
462I. 12s. 3d. and Florida 15,300!.
15s. id. in all £^-4>99^^974 7 ^^

From the latter fam of ^.4,990,974 7 11, it is
necelTary to dcdu6l confiderably for the confump-
tion of Gibraltar, where, it is prefumed, the con-
fumption of Britifh goods extends to every manu-
faQured convenience and neceffary — not only fine
cloths and linens, but malt liquors, cheefe, foap
and candles, loaf fugar, Ihoes, hats^ call iron
utenfils, &c. &c.

It is well known, that feveral of the foreign na-
tions which take off the above Britifli manufac-
tures, fend in return to Britain great quantities of
their own fabrics ; for example, Ruflia fends hemp-
en and flaxen manufa61ures, and milled iron arti-
cles, probably to a greater amount than her above
demand of £\28i,ooo flerling; and though Ger-
many and Holland can (hip very little value in raw
materials, provifions, or lumber, yet their exports

* The French have checked, for a feafon, the Flemifh, Ger-
man, and Dutch demand of Britifh goods.

500

to Great-Britain in 1791 were /^. 1,569,000 fler-
ling. This large amount muft have included a
greater value of Dutch and German manufadures,
than the dilference between our import from Britain,
and that of all thofe foreigners. The fame remark
applies to the Britifh trade with France, Rufliat
Flanders, &c. and indeed the United States of
America promote the demand of all thofe coun-
tries for Britifh manufactures, by permitting Bri-
tain to fend us foreign goods to the value of nearly
a million and a half of dollars per annum. Hence
it appears almofl: certain, that the United States of
America take from Great-Britain a greater balance
of manufaEured goods, than is taken from Great-
Britain by all thofe foreign nations. The import-
ant queftion occurs : how ought a wife and juft
nation to conduft themfelves towards fuch great
cuftomers and confumers ? If an error fhould be
made in the decifion, it will be prejudicial to the
United States, and pernicious in the extreme to the
commerce of Great-Britain.

The weight of the inducements to an equitable
and generous deportment on the part of Great-Bri-
tain is not a little increafed by fimilar facts in rela-
tion to the employment of her fliips. It appears
from a Britifh ftatement of her trade with all the
world and from the promulgated documents of
Congrefs, that the veffels of that country, loaded
in the United States in 1791 and 1792, were about
equal in tonnage to all the Britifh vcficls cleared

out or Great-Britain for Rufiia, Denmark and Nor-
way, Sweden, Pruffia, Poland, Hamburg, Bremen,
and Germany in general.

A folution of tlie extraordinary increafe of im-
ports from Great-Britain, into the United States,
will be ufcful to ourfelvcs.

The aflonifhing profperity of this country, in
confequcnce of the reftoration of union and order
in 1789, is a very principal caufe. Since that time
our exports _ (including a freight upon them) have
increaied by. more than two millions flerling. Our
confumption is therefore more free (perhaps too
much fo) as to the quantity, and particularly as to
the quality of the commodities ; and the new build-
ings and repairs of old ones, requiring glafs, hard-
ware, 8i.z. have exceeded thofe of all former times.
The population of thofe ftates is known to advance,
under common circumftances, at the rate of five
per cent, per annum. The profperity of our coun-
try, and the diforders of France, of her neighbours
in Europe, and of her colonies, have occafioned a
great and mod rapid increafe of people, part of
which may be temporary. Thefe confume fine
goods.* The exportations of Britifh goods from
this country to foreign markets fhould be taken in-

3 z

* The fum paid by one foreign nation, to tranfient refugees from
the difoniered parts cfits territories, fojourningin the United States
in the fum mer of I794> is faid to have been no lefs than 60,000
dollars per month, equal to 720,000 dollars per annum.

502

to the eftimate, particularly the French colonies.
The fails and furniture of the extraordinary quan-
tity of new veffels, built in our ports, is aUb to be
noted : nor is the quantity of furniture and goods
brought in by European emigrators to be forgot-
ten. The flock on hand in the vvholefale and re-
tail ftores throughout the country (the furplus of
importations) is very great, though the coarfe and
fubftaniial articles for building, apparel and furni-
ture, are generally fold between the arrivals of the
fpring and fall veffels: and lalUy the tools, imple-
ments and materials for works and manufaftories, to
be built and eflablifhed among us, are not inconfi-
derable, but are a new demand on our part, which
has been created lince 1775, and which has been
greatly extended in the laft ten years.

It is particularly worthy of calm remark on both
fides of the Atlantic, that the exports of manufac-
tures from Great-Britain to Canada in the year be-
fore mentioned (1791) was no more than 243,000!.
flerling, being lefs than one fixteenth part of our
demand. In that fmall fum was included, of courfe,
the fupply of Britifh manufaftures for the Canadian
Indian trade. Let confiderate men determine then,
whether that branch of commerce (the fur-trade)
is of fufficient importance to juflify the hazard of
a difference with the United States. The whole
importation (furs included) from Canada and Hud-
fon's bay, into Great-Britain, amounted in 1791,
to no more than 135,0001. fferling. Had a war ap-
peared to arife about fuch a trifle, it might have

503

been fufpe6led on reflexion, that political confider-
ations were the true and fecret caufe. To acquire
a portion of our territory would probably have been
deemed the real obje6l of our neighbour. To fruf-
trate or prevent a difmemberment of our country
would have been the honeft and avowed objed of the
people of the United States. But it feemed good
to Providence to fave the two nations from the
deftroying fcourge of war.

It has been confidently expeQed by many in this
country, that the re-animation, acceflion and accu-
mulation of its capital would gradually relieve us
from the alledged neceffity of trading with thofc
who could beft afford us the accommodation of
credit. The expedation was reafonable, and it
therefore will not be difappointed. The merchants
of the United States are now prepared to purchafe
very large portions of their fupplies with ready mo-
ney in the beft and original markets. When the
diforders and immenie military demand on the con-
tinent of Europe fliall ceafe, it is not at all doubted,
that this ability will plainly appear, wherever the
nature of the market (hall afford an adequate temp-
tation. It is not alledged here, that this ability will
materially vary the foreign fources of our lupplies,
whatever may be the cafe : but it obviates much of
the arguments drawn from the confideration of cre-
dit.

It is believed, that mifcalculations of the refour-
ces and faculties of the United States have affected

6^4

the mutual interefts of this country and of feveral
nations, with which we have intercoarfe. Many
of thefe errors have been touched in the preceding
pages. One more is intended to be noticed here.
It is an opinion, which has been maintained,
that the United States would he dejlitiite of reve-
nue zoere any circuwjl-.ances to interrupt their BritiJIi
trade. The importations into the United States
were very confiderable in the moft difficult years
of the late war. The prize goods (and thefe pay
duty) were of great value. It is certain, that the
revenue from foreign and domeftic fpifits amounts,
at this time, to one million, fix hundred and fif-
ty thoufand dollars, of which a very large part is
drawn from fourccs other than Britifh. The reve-
nue from, wines, China goods, and molafles, are en-
tirely from other fources, as thofe from coffee, fu-
gar and cocoa are in a large degree. RufTia and
the Hanfe towns now, and Rotterdam, Amfterdam,
Ofiend, France and Italy, in tranquil times,
would furnifh great fupplies for money and produce,
and fome of them for credit. Thefe would yield
us revenue of courfe. — If unhappily a war were to
take place, neutral bottoms, with cargoes belong-
ing to themfelves, would afford large fupplies, which
the political claims of Great-Britain prevented in
the revolutionary war. Every Eur(3pean country
would maintain its right to trade with America,*

* The armed neutrality, and the prefcnt r.rmament of Denmark
and Sweden, afford ferious leflbns on this fubjeft — as alfo the con-
dud of Portugal and Holland towards the United States.

505

acknowledged independent by that country, which
then upheld a claim to check all intercourfe be-
tween her and the foreign world. That trade would
alfo yield us revenue, — So far as the manufac-
tures of the United States might diminifli the im-
portations from foreign countries, it is obvious that
our citizens could well afford to pay a proportion-
ate tax. If we fhould fave the whole value of a
bale of linens for example, by making it at home^
we could have no difficulty in railing or paying one
tenth of its value in the form a land-tax, or fome
other equitable and reafonable contribution. The
modes of revenue of all nations are unfolded to us,
and we have no reafon to doubt that our law-ma-
kers are lefs able to devife original plans of taxa-
tion, than thofe of other countries. An ufeful
leffon upon this fubjeQ may be obtained by confi-
dering how much more eafy and effe6lual have
been the financial meafures of the United States,
fince 1786, 1787 and 1788, than was expe8:ed by
unwife and unkind obfervers in thofe three years.
The (hort queftion is this. — Has America the fub-
flance, wherewithal to defray the expences of her
political exillence ? Let thofe, who are capable,
compare her prefent operations in every line with
thofe of 1775 : and let them alfo compare the pub-
lic contributions of this happy people with thofe of
the nations of the old world — taking duly into
view the productions and exportations of each.
Let them alfo remember that the depredations on
the Britifh commerce, in the late war, were^re^^^
indeed, and that the exertions of that day could be
far exceeded at this time.

5o6

It is highly favourable to the charaQer, the en-
ergy, and lafety of the United States, that the im-
portation of (laves has ceafed, that the increafe of,
white population and gradual emancipation have re-
duced the proportion of thofe unhappy, and once
dangerous people to a very fafe point indeed in
the nine middle and northern dates, and that a ve-
ry extraordinary increafe of white population has
taken place in the fouthern flates. The fubdivi-
fion of lands and of all other property, by the re-
cent laws of defcent, facilitates and occafions the
fales of farms to the people of the more northern
ftates, and to European emigrants; and promotes
the rapid courfe by which the whites are over-
numbering the blacks, Kentucky, the Southern
Territory of Congrefs, the weftern parts of Mary-
land, Virginia, and the Carolinas, are not in the
mod remote danger of inconvenience from the ne-
groes. The low and level counties Of Maryland,
Virginia, North-Carolina, and South-Carolina,
where the blacks are mofl numerous, are fo near
to the fea, that the tranfportation of a force by
water, were it unexpededly to become neceffary,
and the colleftion of the neighbouring and interior
militia, would enfure the immediate fuppreffion of
any diforderly movement. The midland and in-
terior counties being inhabited almoft entirely by
whites, no refuge could be had there. The num-
ber of flaves in the United States is fomewhat
more than thofe of French St. Domingo, but the
white people of this country are one hundred times
as many as the white people of that colony were

6^1

at the commencement of the exifling diforders in
that ifland: and are far more energetic, and better
armed.

It will be pleafmg to the friends of religious li-
berty to perceive, that no evils whatever have re-
fulted in America from the non-exiftence of an
eftablifhed church, nor from an entire feparatioii
of ecclefiaftical influence from the civil power.

It has been fometimes feared, that the luxuries
and diffipations of Europe would be quickly intro-
duced, with their capital, into the United States.
Moft of thofe, who have come among us have been
led hither by ferious views of advantage or driven
by misfortune. Hence it is true, that we really
have no ftriking examples of difiTipation or expenfe
among the families, who have chofen America for
their home. They have been duly fobered by
their plans of emolument, or by refleftion on the
lofles and difficulties, which have conflrained them
to leave their native country. It is really true that
they have rather accommodated thenifeK es to the
American modes of life, than purfued or introduc-
ed thofe of Europe. A fad equally beneficial to
them and to us. It is, however, highly prudent to
remember, that the United States having become
by their independence in fome fenfe, '' the colony
of all Europe' further v;holefome provifions in our
laws, calculated efFedually to prevent inconveni-
encies, which might arife from the fudden introduc-
tion to power of perfons of every variety of cha-

5o8

ra8er, difpofition and property, are truly worthy
of legiflative confideiation. But while we obey
this obvious and Tolemn diftate of prudeiice, let \\§
not ceafe to be perfe6lly equitable, kind, and
generous to thofe foreigners who ti>ay delire ' to
fet down among us: and particularly let them
fully enjoy the rights of religion, proteQioni
occupation, profeffion and property. When the
courle in which thefe ilates have wifely marchr
ed to the goal of freedom, civil and religious,
is duly remembered, it will be fafe to affirm,
that no general defcription of foreigners are likely
to be indifpenfible auxiliaries to the America^
people in thofe important objects, immediately oa
their arrival. When the wifdom, which any perfon
may have brought with him fliall be fufhciently di-
re8ed by his experience and knowledge of thofe
things, which belong to our peace and which con-
cern our general interefls, and when he fliall have
manifefted a fufhcient common intercft in this com-
munity, thofe temporary precautions, which pru-
dence may at firft require, will become unnecelTa-
ry. This principle of caution is not a new one. It
will be fatisfaftory to prudent men at home and
abroad, that the conftitution of the United States
and thofe of the feveral ftates have been framed
with confiderable attention to its obvious expedi-
ency.

It is not unfavourable to the form of government
adopted by this country, that no monarchy in the
civilized world, exercifed over an equally nume-

509

rous people, has been To well able to maintain in-
ternal tranquility and foreign peace in this day of
general convulfion and diforder. The recent in-
fiance of oppofition to a law of the union has
evinced the difpofition of the people of America to
maintain their government, the efficiency of the Gon-
ftituted authorities, and the alacrity of the body of
militia of four feveral ftates. This prompt exer-
tion will be deemed, on ferious reflexion, no incon-
fiderable proof of an unalterable determination to
maintain order and the civil power, when it is re-
membered that the reje8;ion of a fimilar law was
attempted in England, within the prefent century,
and aftually effected by tumultuous influences on
their legiflature itfelf, equal therefore to the late
diforders in the fouth weftern counties of Pennfyl-
vania. In the United States it may be at leaf! af-
firmed, that the fecondary confideration of a parti-
Qular mode of revenue has been put out of queflion
in order to maintain the primary objed of an ejji-
dent republican government.

It appears from a verv incomplete but authentic
note of the velfels built in the United States dur-
ing the eighteen months following the 31(1 day of
December 1792, that they amounted to nearly
80,000 tons. The ports of Nantucket, Bollon,
Alexandria, the two Wilmingtons, Edenton. and
(for one year of the time) Baltimore, and feve-
ral others of inferior confequence were, not in-
cluded in the return. The quantity built at Phi-
ladelphia was 10,204 tons, although the epide-

4 A

510

mic malady of 1793, fufpendedthe bufinefsFor one
entire quarter. The difl;ri8: oF Maine appears to
have built 15476 tons, though Come of the returns
from thence are deficient. During the firft year of
the exifting general government (from March, 1789,
to March, 1790) the whole fhip-building of the
United States was 17 to 18,000 tons, and in the
fecond year, ending in March, 1791, it was about
32,000 tons. Such has been the prcgrefs and fuch
is the prefent Jlate of the firft of our mechanic arts.

It is of fome importance to the harmony between
the United States and foreign countries, that cir-
cumftances of unfavourable difcrimination againft
us are gradually wearing oiit of the fyftems of thofe
countries. An inltance of this, but little noticed in
America or Great-Britain, has occurred in the re-
gulations of the latter country with refpeft to fo-
reign manufaQures. Before April, 1792, no ma-
nufaQured articles of the United States could be
imported into that kingdom. This exceptionable
difcrimination operated againft us only. On the
firft of that month the annual order of the king of
Great-Britain in council legalized the introdu61ion
of American manufaftures upon the footing of the
moft favoured foreign nations. The two countries
have thus placed each other on an equal ground
in that particular, excepting that Britain has done
that by a temporary executive order which the go-
vernment of the United States have done, upon
the principles of impartiality, by reiterated legif-
lative a6ls. The exiftence of the late rigid prohi-

bitionof our manufaQures in Great-Britain, though
formerly of little importance, would have been of
confiderable inconvenience to us in the event of a
war between that country and the maritime powers
in the north of Europe. Tanned leather, rolled
and flit iron, Iteel, cannon ball, cordage and flax-
en and hempen yarns for example (fome or all of
them) are imported into Great-Britan to a large
amount from thole nothern nations. Thefe arti-
cles on the occurrence of fuch war, we could fup-
ply to confiderable advantage. Grain fpirits,
ftarch, malt, foap, candles, and tawed fl^ins, and
other articles mult become redundant and cheap in
the United States and a foreign market for them
rnay be found defireable. The powers now at war
have doubtlefs confumed no fmall value of thefe ar-
ticles from America during the laft three years. Hol-
land, the Auftrian Netherlands, the Hanfe towns,
the European ports of France, and the colonies of
feveral nations have received by ordinary importa-
tion from the United States confiderable manufac-
tures oF grain, of the fat of animals, of wood,
of iron, of leather and fkins, of flax and hemp, and
of fur.

Terrifying reports of danger from the American
Indians have been widely circulated in fome foreign
countries. It is afaft, however, that there is not the
moft remote poflibility of injury from thofe fava-
ges to more than a twentieth or thirtieth part of
the inhabitants of this country. Nineteen in twen-
ty or twenty-nine in thirty of our people are as free

from that danger, as the people of Germany, or
Great-Britain. All the counties on and near the
atlantic ocean, all the midland counties and all the
firit ranges of the weftern counties are perfedly
fafe and even undiilurbed. In the unconnected
range of frontier counties, the inhabitants are often
partially alarmed in the time of an actual Indian
war, and it is true that they fometimes fuffer. But
this has little effeft upon them as is proved by fafcts,
which fpeak more ftrongly than any thing, that
can be faid upon the ("ubjeQ. The old frontier
county of Cumberland in Pennfylvania, for exam-
ple, contained, in the year 1760, no more than 1501
taxable inhabitanst, and in the year 1770 no more
than 3521 taxable inhabitants. It had a narrow
front on the v^eftern bank of the river Sufquehan-
na, and extended from thence over the Alleghe-
ney mountain beyond the head of the Ohio to the
weftern limits of the (late. By a public return of
1703,* it appears that the counties, erefted fince
out of the original county of Cumberland are inha-
bited by the increafed number of 24,785 taxable
inhabitants. Four of them, which are beyond the
Alleghcney mountain, and neareft to the Indians,
contain nearly one third more than thofe four
which lie between that mountain and the river
Sufquehanna. Much the moft populous of the
whole eight, is the county of Wafliington, which
lies the neareft to the Indians, and has in it near
24,000 inhabitants of all ages and fexes.

* See Chapter VI. Book II. for a comparative view of the
taxable inhabitants of Pennfylvania at three periods.

513

The great prices of American exports, both the
fpontaneous produQions of the earth and the fruits
of cultivation, which have been obtained in our
home market, during the laft fix years, together
with the prodigious increafe of fome of them, have
given an immenfe fpring to the landed property
and the agricultural interefts of the United States.
For example our whole export of flour in 1786,
fuppofing it to be 300,000 barrels, at five dollars,
has been advanced to nearly 1,100,000 barrels in
1793 at feven dollars. It is to be remembered al-
fo that as very great improvements in agricultural
flcill and economy are obvioufly practicable in this
country, much confequent increafe may be reafon-
ably expe6led. The commerce, which has refult-
ed from this great natural caufe, the profperity of
agriculture, is of the moft fatisfa6tory and unfluQu-
ating kind. Thofe, who have nearly 800,000 bar-
rels of flour to fell and fhip in 1793 more than
thev had in 1786, will have fo much the more to
do in their banks, their infurance oflices, their
counting houfes, their tradefmens fhops and on
their wharves ; fo much more for their millers to
grind, and for their coaflers to tranfport, fo much
more to employ their outward (hips, and fo much
more to fill their inward veffels, and in fhort, fo
much more of all the pleafing and profitable details
of an honeft, intelligent and flourilhing commerce,
folidly founded upon, and infeparably blended with
the profperity of the farmer, the planter, the gra-
zier, the iron mailer, and the land holder of every
defcription.

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